NOTES ON THE KEY TO FOLLOWING CHRIST INTO AMERICA’S COMING DARKNESS: “BE A BRAVEHEART!” (WITH VIDEO)

REFLECTIONS. A few preliminary words about the Blue Wave that just took place on November 3, 2026 based on remarks by DR. PAUL KRUGMAN (City University of New York; Substack, Aug. 26 2026). In Sum:

“Con Cuidado.”

1. THEOLOGY

SCRIPTURE. “The wicked flee when no man pursues them, but the [uncompromisingly] righteous are BOLD AS A LION.” – PROVERBS 28:1, AMPC

KEY TERM: “BOLD!” ‘Batach’ (יִבְטָֽח׃): “To be [supremely] confident, secure, and by implication, trustworthy.” NOTE: “‘The verb בָּטח expresses placing one’s full weight upon someone or something with calm assurance.’ Across the Canon it always concerns an ‘Object of Reliance’—Whether the Covenant LORD, military strength, idols, political alliances, or oneself. The moral value of בָּטח is therefore determined by its object: ‘When directed toward God it is FAITH, when toward anything else it is FOLLY.’”

QUOTATION. “‘He’ll be coming and going’ he had said. ‘One day you’ll see him and another you won’t. He doesn’t like being tied down–and of course he has other countries to attend to. It’s quite all right. He’ll often drop in. Only you mustn’t press him.’ ‘He’s Wild, you know. Not like a tame lion.’” ― C.S. LEWIS, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, 1950; edited

COMMENTARY. “‘The Wicked flee when no man pursueth’ — Because a consciousness of their guilt excites in them a continual expectation and dread of God’s Judgments; ‘But the Righteous are bold as a lion!’ — ‘Are courageous and resolute, having the testimony of a good conscience, and assurance of the divine favour and protection, and the supports and consolations of the Holy Ghost.’” – JOSEPH BENSON, Notes on the Holy Bible, 5 vols., 1811-1818; edited

1. TEACHING

As is often the case when I hear a Word from ‘The Voice that’s not a voice,’ it is when I least expect it.  But this time on October 28, 2026, while pondering some rather unpleasant, even frightful matters in my life, I asked the Lord how to handle them. His Reply:

“BE A BRAVEHEART.”

Somewhat surprised by this unusual instruction, and after having mumbled, “Well I sure don’t want to be a Mel Gibson, Sir,” I set to a little research. And here is what I found from a summary of largely SECULAR articles (AI Overview, Oct. 28, 2026; edited).

 In order to become, or actually, “Be a Braveheart,” one must DECIDE to face fear directly, live with personal conviction, and display courage, integrity, and loyalty to a community or purpose. Depending on the context, the phrase carries several distinct meanings:

• FEARLESSNESS: ‘It means Acknowledging Fear or Danger’—whether a major life transition, personal trauma, or daily hardship—and choosing to push forward rather than run away.

• RESILIANCE: It represents ‘Getting Back Up,’ remaining steady under pressure, and carrying on with a sense of inner strength and purpose.

• BOLDNESS.  In personal and lifestyle contexts, being a Braveheart can mean: ‘Making bold, unconventional choices’ that align with your True Self—Such as starting a unique career, living independently, or refusing to follow standard social expectations.

• INTEGRITY: It means: ‘Anchoring your daily actions in honesty, passion, and kindness toward others.’

• COURAGE. Rooted [metaphorically] in the legend of Scottish Knight William Wallace from the historical film Braveheart [1995], the term also calls to mind: ‘Fighting for Freedom, Standing Up against Oppression, and staying Fiercely Devoted to a larger Cause or Principle.’

WISDOM. “Therefore, put on the complete armor of God, so that you will be able to [successfully] RESIST and stand your ground in the evil day [of danger], and having done everything [that the crisis demands], to STAND FIRM [‘histémi’ (στῆναι), remain upright in your place, fully prepared, immovable, victorious].” – EPHESIANS 6:13, AMP

• “RESIST! ‘Anthistémi’ [ἀντιστῆναι]: “To stand firmly against; to oppose [with all one’s might].” NOTE: “‘Strong’s 436 portrays a DECISIVE ‘STANDING AGAINST.’ Scripture applies the term in TWO contrasting directions: (1) Sinful Opposition to God, His appointed servants, or His established authorities; and (2) Righteous Resistance to Satan, falsehood, and moral evil. The Tension between these uses highlights the believer’s need for discernment: one may either ‘Withstand in the Evil Day’ (Ephesians 6:13) or be found ‘Resisting the Ordinance of God’ (Romans 13:2).

THE PRINCIPLE. You cannot do BOTH, beloved! You cannot. That is why my entire Canonical Hermeneutic, my Full Christology, is, at its core, BINARY.

“And if it seems evil to you to serve the Lord, CHOOSE for  yourselves THIS DAY whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD …

No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon … You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons; you cannot partake of the Lord’s table and of the table of demons.” – JOSHUA 24:15; MATTHEW 6:24; 1 CORINTHIANS 10:21, NKJV

But just to be certain that we are all on the same Biblical Page, here is The Gospel according to BOB DYLAN: “You’re still gonna have to serve SOMEBODY; Yes, you’re gonna have to serve somebody. Well, it may be the Devil or it may be the Lord, But you’re gonna have to serve somebody” (Slow Train Coming, 1979; edited).

1. THE OPPOSITION

”Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword. For I have come to set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. and ‘a man’s ENEMIES [‘echthros’ (ἐχθροὶ), ‘hateful, odious, hostile toward God’] will be those of his own household.’ 

He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it.” – MATTHEW 10:34-39, NKJV

MY AWAKENING.  Briefly, my entire world, worldview and Christian Journey began to change radically while working at Liberty University from 2006-2016. After having racked up top teaching ratings for that ten year period (see RateMyProfessor), in March 2016, this happened.

I received a distinctly impersonal email from Human Resources informing me: ‘My annual contract was terminated.’ No reason given, so after trying unsuccessfully to reach my boss, LU President Jerry Falwell Jr. (whom I knew personally since he followed my political comments), I was told by the Administration that I was fired for “Financial Exigency.”

• FACT 1. Liberty University’s Endowment was approximately $1.05 billion (specifically $1,054,286,000) for fiscal year 2016, according to the Federal National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) data. The very year Falwell launched an nearly maniacal building program on the campus toward which  most of that money would go.

• FACT 2. I had been writing that year against Donald Trump and for Ted Cruz (I know). I also knew that Jerry Falwell had kept loose track of my commentaries, and that he was the first Evangelical Leader to declare nationally for Trump in January 2016.  Followed shortly thereafter by Franklin Graham who first favored Trump as early as April 2011! (see “This Week,” ABC News).

• FACT 3. My somewhat fiery, Three-Year Matriculation that the Lord was taking me through would take me through two more firings from two other major Christian institutions. Of the Third Termination, I was clearly instructed by the Chairman of the Board, as I was told by the third one in Fall 2019: “You need to stop writing commentaries against Trump; it does not fit our mission.” NOTE: Never mind that all my writing was done on my personal Facebook page with no reference to my employer whatsoever.

CONSEQUENCES. Those three years of catastrophic loss (of income, home, reputation, and nearly every single Christian friend or colleague) were agonizingly destructive of my entire family. Yet the afternoon of the third firing, I heard the Lord say, astonishingly:

“I am proud of you.”

Only time I have ever heard those words from Him. I was at the bottom of life, beloved. Think about that, long and hard.

Then in March 2020: The Digital Circuit Ride Mission, “The Best Job I’ve Ever Had!” GENESIS 50:20: “But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive.”

November 3, 2026. As of this monumentally important day in American history – The Midterms Elections – there is still no unified Christian Movement AGAINST Donald Trump’s Neo-Fascist Christian Nationalism Cult. None! Hat tip, however, to ‘Christians Against Christian Nationalism,’ an initiative started in 2019 by the Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty. Membership: 50,000. Selah.

THE REALITY. I remain incredulous after ten horrific, destructive years that The WHITE EVANGELICAL CHURCH remains either: (1) Willfully Complicit with the Trump Christian Nationalism Movement; or (2) Thundrously Silent, the current majority position of White Evangelicals and their Pastors.

Prominent Christian leaders, pastors, and religious figures who have publicly supported or advised Donald Trump include the following ENEMY’S LIST.

WHITE HOUSE SPIRITUAL ADVISORY COUNCIL

• Bishop Salvatore Cordileone. Salvatore Cordileone is the Archbishop of San Francisco and a member of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) Committee on Laity, Marriage, Family Life and Youth and also of its Committee for Canonical Affairs and Church Governance. 

• Pastor Jentezen Franklin. Jentezen Franklin is the Senior Pastor of Free Chapel, a multi-campus church based in Gainesville, Georgia. He has written multiple books including the bestseller, Fasting: Opening the door to a deeper, more intimate, more powerful relationship with God.

• Archbishop Elpidophoros of America. Archbishop Elpidophoros is the eighth Archbishop of America elected since the establishment of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese in 1922. He has been an active member of the World Council of Churches and has advanced religious freedom for decades.

• Father Thomas Ferguson. Father Thomas Fergusonis the pastor of Good Shepherd Parish in Alexandria, Virginia. He is the author of Catholic and American: The Political Theology of John Courtney Murray.

• Rabbi Mark Gottlieb. Rabbi Mark Gottlieb is Chief Education Officer of Tikvah and founding dean of the Tikvah Scholars Program. Prior to joining Tikvah, Rabbi Gottlieb served as head of school at Yeshiva University High School for Boys and principal of the Maimonides School in Brookline, Massachusetts. Rabbi Gottlieb is a trustee of the Hildebrand Project and serves on the Editorial Committee of Tradition: A Journal of Orthodox Jewish Thought.

• Pastor Jack Graham. Jack Graham is Senior Pastor of Prestonwood Baptist Church in Dallas, and author of multiple books, including The Jesus Book: Reading and Understanding the Bible for Yourself. Dr. Graham has served as Honorary Chairman of the National Day of Prayer and has helped lead various national prayer initiatives. From 2002-2004, he served as President of the Southern Baptist Convention.

• Rabbi Yaakov Menken. Rabbi Yaakov Menken is the Executive Vice President of the Coalition for Jewish Values. He previously co-founded and edited Cross-Currents.com, an online journal of Orthodox Jewish thought and opinion. Rabbi Menken is a fellow of the Amud Aish Memorial Museum, focusing upon the study of modern anti-Semitism, and author of The Everything Torah Book.

• Bishop Thomas Paprocki.  Thomas Paprocki is the Bishop of Springfield, Illinois. He coined the “Fortnight for Freedom,” a campaign of American Bishops to defend religious liberty. The episcopal board chair for the Catholic Athletes for Christ, Bishop Paprocki has completed 24 marathons and authored Running for a Higher Purpose and Holy Goals for Body and Soul.

• Bishop Kevin Rhoades.  Kevin Rhoades is the Bishop of Fort Wayne-South Bend, Indiana. He currently chairs the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops Committee on Religious Liberty. In addition to his religious liberty work, Bishop Rhoades sits on the USCCB Committee on Doctrine, ad hoc Committee against Racism, and served on the board of directors for the National Eucharistic Congress.

• Rabbi Eitan Webb. Rabbi Eitan Webb co-founded the Chabad House of Princeton in 2002, with his wife Gitty and has served as a Jewish Chaplain at Princeton University since 2007. In addition to his service to university students, Rabbi Webb serves on the board of directors of the Chabad on Campus International Foundation and of the Sinai Scholars Society

• Rabbi Chaim Dovid Zwiebel. Rabbi Chaim Dovid Zwiebel is the Executive Vice President of Agudath Israel of America, an American organization that represents Orthodox Jews. In 2020, he helped organize one of the largest gatherings of Orthodox Jews in U.S. history.

EVANGELICAL LEADERS

• Franklin Graham: Evangelist and head of Samaritan’s Purse, who has described Trump as chosen by God and defended him through controversies and legal trials.

• Paula White-Cain: Televangelist and key spiritual adviser to Trump who has acted as a bridge to evangelical and charismatic Christian communities.

• Samuel Rodriguez: President of the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference, who has supported Trump’s policies on religious liberty and the pro-life movement.

• Lucas Miles: Senior director of Turning Point USA Faith, who has defended Trump’s administration regarding religious liberty and judicial appointments.

• Mark Burns: Televangelist and frequent surrogate/advocate for Trump at rallies and on cable media.

• Tony Suarez: Vice president of the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference, aligned with Trump’s evangelical coalition.

• Sean Feucht: Christian musician and activist who has organized worship rallies and public support initiatives for conservative policies.

• Gary Bauer: President of American Values and a conservative Christian advocate.

• David Barton: Evangelical author and founder of WallBuilders.

• Tim Clinton – President of the American Association of Christian Counselors.

• James Dobson – Late Founder of Family Talk and Focus on the Family.

• Jordan Easley – Pastor at Englewood Baptist Church.

• Jerry Falwell Jr. – Former president of Liberty University.

• Ronnie Floyd – Former leader at Cross Church and Southern Baptist Convention figure.

• Rodney Howard-Browne – Pastor at The River at Tampa Bay Church.

• Harry Jackson – Late pastor of Hope Christian Church.

• Robert Jeffress – Pastor of First Baptist Church of Dallas.

• Greg Laurie – Pastor of Harvest Christian Fellowship.

• Eric Metaxas – Author and radio host.

• Johnnie Moore Jr. – Evangelical activist and author.

• Frank Page – Former Southern Baptist Convention president.

• Tony Perkins – President of the Family Research Council.

• Ralph Reed – Chairman of the Faith and Freedom Coalition.

OTHERS. Gordon Robertson, Charlie Kirk, Erika Kirk, Robert Morris, Ravi Zacharias, John McArthur, Pat Robertson, James Robison, TD Jakes, Bill Hybels, Joyce Meyer, Albert Mohler, Joel Osteen, Rick Warren, Andy Stanley, Bill Johnson, Bill Owens, Mark Burns, Johnnie Moore, Jennifer Korn, Mike & Sarah Huckabee, Glenn Beck, Carrie Underwood, Michael W. Smith, Mel Gibson, Jon Voight, Sylvester Stallone, Amir Tsarfati, Jack Hibbs, Rob McCoy, Kenneth Copeland, et al.

1. “RECKLESS ABANDONMENT!”

NOTES ON RECKLESS ABANDONMENT. One of the most profound Christian devotionals was penned by Scottish Baptist Holiness Movement preacher, OSWALD CHAMBERS. His congregation consisting mostly of military troops and students, Chambers often used this term, “Reckless Abandonment,” todescribe the sort of a REVOLUTIONARY DEVOTION to Christ that He commands.

Here is Chamber’s Rendering of this Passage: “Faith, as the Bible teaches it, is faith in God coming against everything that contradicts Him- a Faith that says, ‘I will remain true to God’s character WHATEVER He may do.’ The highest and the greatest expression of Faith in the whole Bible is – ‘Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him’ (Job 13:15).’”- My Utmost for His Highest, 1927, edited; Adapted from Dr. Cliff Kelly, Facebook, October 2018; edited

So we begin to conclude on a vastly more hopeful and honorable note, what I shall joyfully refer to as a HALL OF HEROES, today’s men and women of towering Faith Commitment that transcends even matters of life and death.

“NOW FAITH is the assurance (title deed, confirmation) of things hoped for (divinely guaranteed), and the evidence of things not seen [the conviction of their reality—faith comprehends as fact what cannot be experienced by the physical senses].” – HEBREWS 11:1, AMP

So do these walk in the footsteps of Abel, and Enoch, and Noah, and Abraham, and Sarah, and Isaac, and Jacob, and Joseph, and Moses, and Rahab, and Gideon, and Barak, and Samson, and Jephthah, and David, and Samuel, and the Prophets!

And so many more!

THE H-LIST. I construct this List from a variety of online sources, not the least of which include an article by EMILY MILLER, writing for Religion News, “14 Christians Who Are Not Supporting Trump”(June 21, 2016), AI Overview (Nov. 2, 2026),

• Russell Moore: The former president of the Southern Baptist Convention’s Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission has been a prominent evangelical voice critiquing Donald Trump’s rhetoric and behavior.

• Pope Leo XIV: The Catholic leader has openly challenged Trump’s administration and policies—particularly regarding immigration—and rebuked him over public statements and shared imagery.

• Cardinal Blaise Cupich: The Archbishop of Chicago has actively resisted administration policies and led public protests, such as Ash Wednesday masses and processions supporting immigrant communities.

• Coalitions of Christian Leaders: A coalition of roughly 400 Christian Leaders from multiple denominations released a joint statement explicitly condemning the administration and opposing what they describe as a “heretical ideology of white Christian nationalism”.

• Governor Andy Beshear: Democratic politician and practicing Christian who has publicly criticized Trump’s use of faith to divide the public, contrasting it with traditional Christian values of kindness and the Golden Rule.

• Interfaith and Mainstream Christian Leaders: Paul Brandeis Raushenbush (CEO and president of Interfaith Alliance) and mainstream leaders representing millions of Christians released a joint letter denouncing the Trump administration’s “Anti-Christian Bias Task Force,” calling it a threat to religious freedom and democracy.

• Organized Coalitions: Groups such as Christians Against Trumpism, the Interfaith Alliance, and the Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty (through the Christians Against Christian Nationalism campaign) have led public petitions, statements, and media campaigns challenging the political misuse of faith.

• Rebuke from Conservative/Pro-Trump Leaders over Imagery & Rhetoric: Even prominent figures generally aligned with Trump—such as Bishop Robert Barron, Minister Douglas Wilson—publicly rebuked him for disrespectful remarks targeting Pope Leo XIV (“weak on crime” and “terrible for foreign policy”) and for sharing an AI-generated image resembling Jesus Christ.

• Scholarly and Theological Criticism: Historians and Evangelical thinkers like John Fea have warned strongly that unconditional evangelical alignment with Trump risks eroding the Church’s moral credibility and prophetic voice. Research from the Billy Graham Center at Wheaton College also points to a growing alienation among younger generations (such as Gen Z) regarding the association between Trumpism and Christian witness.

• Beth Moore (Founder of Living Proof Ministries): Voiced strong public opposition, stating that “Trumpism” is astonishingly seductive and dangerous to believers.

• Bishop Mariann Budde: Spoke directly to Trump from the pulpit during an inaugural prayer service, urging mercy for LGBTQ+ youth and immigrants.

OTHERS. Early in 2016 were some stalwart prophetic voices shouting warnings AGAINST TRUMP from the very beginning: Denny Burk, Max Lucado, Thabiti Anyabwile, Erick Erickson, Robert P. George, Alan Noble, Eric Teetsel, Owen Strachan, Matthew Lee Anderson, Trillia Newbell, David and Nancy French, and Deborah Fikes.

• LAST THOUGHTS

THE BINARY GOSPEL. “He who is not with Me is against Me, and He who does not gather with Me scatters abroad” – MATTHEW 12:30, NKJV

It’s been several years since I have thought of a powerful poem by JOSIAH GILBERT HOLLAND, titled “God, Give Us Men!” (1872; edited).Holland was an American novelist, essayist, poet and spiritual mentor to the country in the years following America’s First Civil War. Selah.

“GOD, give us men! A TIME LIKE THIS Demands: Strong minds, great hearts, true faith and ready hands; Men whom the lust of office does not kill; Men whom the spoils of office cannot buy; Men who possess opinions and a will; Men who have honor; men who will not lie; Men who can stand before a demagogue And damn his treacherous flatteries without winking! Tall men, sun-crowned, who live above the fog In public duty, and in private thinking; For while the Rabble, with their thumb-worn creeds, Their large professions and their little deeds, Mingle in selfish strife, lo! Freedom weeps, Wrong Rules the Land and Waiting Justice sleeps.’”

THE COVENANT. Therefore beloved King, tell us what You would have us do, and tell us where we should go. And yes, dear Lord, most of all: ‘Tell us what we shall say when it is TIME TO SPEAK.’

“But when they deliver you up, do not worry about how or what you should speak. For it will be given to you in that hour what you should speak … Now therefore, GO, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall say.” – MATTHEW 10:19; EXODUS 4:12, NKJV

This is the WAY OF THE BRAVEHEART, beloved, and no other road will get you there, save for this one. ‘It is Narrow, and it is Hard, and it is not for the many, but only the Few’.

And yet I promise you – It is the most GLORIOUS ROAD I have ever walked in all my 82 years, beloved. Truly, incomparably, exhilaratingly: “The Best Job I Ever Had!”

Selah.

YOUTUBE: https://youtu.be/tQlniRaxo8I