Jim Garlow tries hard to blame God for the Canadian truckers. Oh and autocrats like Orban and Bolsonaro...

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The above two links are to a new article on Charisma News from NAR dominionist extraordinaire, Jim Garlow. His organization is devoted to the goals of dominionism. His website is a frightening reminder of someone using Christianity as a thin veil over a political organization. Now I do not know Mr. Garlow and I do not have to. Perhaps he is well deceived and deceiving others as so many who are unwittingly wrapped up and leveraged within the NAR. Maybe he truly believes the nonsense he represents. It matters not to the cause of the gospel. The true gospel has nothing to do with electing leaders, passing legislation or seeking a revival from that which has always been dead. The new cause du jour on the political right in this country are the small band of Canadian truckers blocking the border between America and Canada. They are upset because the Canadian government mandates vaccines and masks. Never mind that all of the science agrees with the government. Never mind that 90% of Canadian truckers are actually vaccinated. It actually has nothing to do with that anymore because political operatives, such as Jim Garlow, have taken it over. This is a battle of science versus ignorance. This thread of people who refuse to listen to common sense has probably always existed in our society but with the advent of social media, they now have a platform to connect and feel supported within their sphere of ignorance. I expect the Tucker Carlson's of the world to do what they do because they are grifters making money off of it. It is the Garlow's of the world that bother me because he drags Jesus Christ into this mess and pretends that breaking the law, thumbing your nose at authority and general obliviousness are somehow Christian virtues. They are not. These two articles from Garlow are long but I will try to respond to all because it is important that someone still holds to what the bible actually says. So let us reason together once more beloved.

"In 1978, God looked down on America and could not find enough bold pastors to stand up, so He said, "I am going to find an associate clinical professor of pediatrics at the University of Southern California School of Medicine, with a Ph.D. in child development, and I am going to prepare him to do what I need done." So God raised a young Dr. James Dobson to a position of national and international influence for righteousness. In 1980, God looked down on America and could not find enough bold pastors to stand up, so He said, "I am going to find a Hollywood actor who has been divorced, once a liberal, and I am going to prepare him to do what I need done." So God raised Ronald Reagan to a national and international position of influence for righteousness. In 1990, God looked down on America and could not find enough bold pastors to stand up, so He said, "I am going to find a football coach at the University of Colorado, Boulder, and he is going to launch a movement for men called "Promise Keepers." So God raised Bill McCartney to a position of national and international influence for righteousness." - Jim Garlow

The premise of the first article is to point to people Garlow thinks have been crucial in the world and credit their rise to God Himself. This is not about permissive will. God certainly allowed these people to proceed in what they did. That does not mean that God couldn't find pastors so He turned to these folks. That is just absurd and completely carnal. When Garlow says that God couldn't find any bold pastors, he just means pastors willing to preach politics from the pulpit instead of the gospel. Who however does he start with here? James Dobson is as radical an NAR dominionist as Garlow. He has been plying his trade for decades trying to convince people they could only be Christians if they vote as he commands. Ronald Reagan? God did not raise Ronald Reagan up. I will not even get into he myriad of unchristian endeavors by his administration because it would not even be fair to Reagan, who was president not pope. Promise keepers? Just do a Google search and see how they are essentially ecumenical in their desire to obliterate doctrine. I think I'd rather listen to the "unbold" pastors bring the gospel than these three.

"In 2016, God looked down on America and could not find enough bold pastors to stand up, so He said, "I am going to find a braggadocious New York City billionaire who has owned casinos, has been a playboy, is in his third marriage and tweets too much, and I am going to prepare him to do what I need done." So God raised up Donald Trump to a position of national and international influence for righteousness." - Jim Garlow

C'mon. First of all Garlow keeps downplaying serious sin as if it doesn't matter to God. Yes, God will use anyone or anything for His glory but that does not mean everyone and everything. Trump was not just on his third marriage but he committed infidelity in all of them! He bragged about grabbing women by their genitals because he was famous. The notion that God looked down in America and could not find enough bold pastors so he turned to Donald Trump is simply stupid. It denigrates God. This gives you an insight however into where Jim Garlow is coming from. His concerns are political in nature, not Christian. Trump influenced for righteousness? Once again, c'mon.

"In 2022, God looked down on all of North America and could not find enough bold pastors to stand up, so He said, "I am going to find a group of truckers in Canada who care about freedom and liberty, who hate tyranny and despotic rule, socialism and medical coercion, and I am going to bring them to Ottawa, Ontario to do what I need done." So God raised up the truckers who congregated in Canada's capital city to a position of national and international influence for righteousness. How do you view the Canadian truckers event? A protest? A blockade? OK, maybe it includes that. But it is so much more. Could it be a spiritual renewal? Or a revival? Or at least a "pre-revival," a precursor to an awakening? Quite possibly. Some might think that truckers are an unlikely place for God to look. However, there are so many examples throughout history where God used the "unlikelies." God tends to work with those who will say yes to Him and then obey. The truckers did exactly that." - Jim Garlow

The truckers did exactly that? Seriously? So, God wanted them to break Canadian law? He wanted them to block up the border which so many other people rely on for their goods to be trafficked? God wanted this band of merry misfits to continue to be unvaccinated putting at risk the lives of their families? What god do you serve because it sure is not the God of the bible. What revival starts with lawbreaking and disdain for authorities? Once again, because God has used some unlikely people does not mean He always must use unlikely people. While we are here it is high time to debunk this constant tying of freedom to Christ. We have freedom IN Christ but that is freedom from sin. Not freedom from some self-perceived notion of government overreach. Because the NAR dominionist loves this country and its sin so much, they must turn God into a flag draped crusader against any form of government other than our own. First of all, demanding that workers are vaccinated from a deadly pandemic is not "tyranny" nor "medical coercion." Either way, let us turn to the life of Jesus Christ for answers. When Jesus walked the earth there actually was a tyrannical force known for oppressing people and despotic rule. This was the Roman Empire and one of the oppressed people were in fact the Jews! So miserable was their suffering they thought the Messiah was going to deliver them from Rome! Did Jesus take up their plight for freedom? Did He organize rallies and protests against the tyranny of Rome over His own people? Not once. Not one time did Jesus turn to the cause of carnal freedom for His people. Why? Because His kingdom is not of this earth and He came to deliver them, and us, from their sins. That is a far better message than freedom from imaginary medical coercion. So please stop trying to tie God to our concept of political freedom. He does not care. When He first established Israel it was as a theocracy and when they wanted a king, who certainly could be tyrannical or despotic, He gave it to them.

"I have talked with some of the Canadian truck drivers. They are peaceful and committed to nonviolence. In fact, according to interviews with people on the ground, their event has a family-friendly atmosphere. Crime has dropped to zero in Ottawa. Pray that outside agitators, saboteurs or even government plants don't infiltrate this movement. Contrary to Trudeau's accusations, they are not terrorist or racists. The protesting truckers are hardworking, blue-collar people who bring you every single item you own." - Jim Garlow

And now they are blocking you from receiving every single thing you need. These are irrelevant arguments. It is great that they are peaceful, but they still are breaking the law. Stop with the tinfoil hat conspiracy garbage too. No one is infiltrating a handful of unvaccinated truckers. The alleged accusations of Trudeau are accurate. There were confederate flags, which people inside and out of this country consider racist. There was also representation at these protests from white supremacy groups such as the 3 percenters. Trudeau said we will not stand with them. Is Garlow saying he would?

"Why would God call them? The answer is obvious. We have needed someone to help lead the charge against the avalanche of political despotism and governmental tyranny around the world. God found someone. In fact, He found lots of "someones": truckers. Canadian truckers. This is not the way we might have expected Him to work. But He has always used the "unlikelies" and "unusables." Take King David, and the twelve disciples, for starters." - Jim Garlow

The answer is obvious Jim. God did not call these truckers to break the law because they do not want to protect themselves and their families. Furthermore, God is not up in heaven worrying Himself about countries throughout the world trying to contain and stem the tide of a horrific pandemic. Nearly six million people have died from this Jim. It isn't as a game. It is bad enough you have chosen the stupid anti-knowledge side but do not try dragging God over to that side as well. Are you seriously comparing a small group of unsaved truckers to the 12 apostles and King David? Has your theological judgment fallen this badly? David was a man after God's heart, not political freedom. The 12 apostles actually did care more about their canal needs and the oppression they were suffering under Rome but Jesus soon dispelled that as being even vaguely important when it comes to kingdom matters. That's the problem with the NAR dominionist. They confuse and conflate matters of God's kingdom with matters of this world, which is passing away.

"If God cannot find enough bold, courageous, godly pastors, He will find another way to accomplish what needs to happen. There are some strong pastors in the U.S. But not enough. There were not enough in Canada either. So God had to find another way. And He did. That brings me back to the truckers. Are they all Christ-followers? Of course not. Many are. (There is a remarkable ministry among truckers, but most people just don't know about it.) But even among those who don't yet personally know Christ as Savior, there are enough vestiges of Judeo-Christian values within them that they are willing to make a stand. And God is blessing them.

Many persons who are not of the kingdom still understand kingdom principles and often stand for them andknowingly or unknowinglyoperate within them. These truckers inherently know that God did not create government to abuse its people, but to protect them. And they are willing to risk their occupations, their equipment, their livelihood and their safety to declare, "Enough is enough." Some call it a protest. And it may be. Peaceful protests are right. But it is so much more. Some think it is about medical mandates. And it is. But it is more. So much more." - Jim Garlow

Vestiges of Judeo-Christian values? Is that how it works now? Is that what Jesus will be looking for on the last day? It sounds like Garlow would be better served preaching the gospel to these lost souls than exploiting them for political gain. God did not create the Canadian government anymore than He created ours. Israel wanted a king and God said - let them have a king. Same goes for a president or prime minister.

"This is spiritual. You read that right. As noted above, this might be a precursor to a revival. Only time will tell. But it might be. These truckers are like those who marched across the Jordan and around the walls of Jericho and sounded their horns (shofars). They truckers have marched across Canada, and now around Ottawa, and sounded their horns. Notice that Trudeau did not like their horns. They are the modern-day circuit riders, like those who traversed 18th-century England and early America, carrying the Methodist expression of salvation and holiness. (I wrote my doctoral dissertation on these Methodist preachers on horseback, the circuit riders.) I would add that, rather than each of these present-day "trucker circuit riders" having one horse, they each have many horses (horsepower) as they advance the message of freedom and liberty. They are leading a God-inspired revolt against tyranny." - Jim Garlow

The abuse of scripture here is staggering. These truckers are not like the men of Israel who encircled Jericho. Do you know why Jim? Because God told Israel to do that! How can we be sure that this is not the same thing spiritually? Because when the truckers blew their horns they got arrested! Just like they should have! Now these conspiracy driven denialists are likened to 18 century spreaders of the gospel? Seriously? This is not a God inspired revolt! Stop lying about God! You just admitted they are not even saved!

"This movement is like the cry for freedom in Eastern Europe in the late 1980s and early 1990s as the tyrannical USSR collapsed. This movement is inspired by the same heartbeat that gave the global triumvirate of Ronald Reagan, Margret Thatcher and Pope John Paul II such influence when communism collapsed in Poland after the pope's visit, triggering the eventual overthrow of the USSR across Eastern Europe. These are the "deplorables" a term used by one prominent U.S. Democratic political candidate for president coming to understand that they are not, in fact, deplorables. These are the masses coming to grasp that the elites don't rule them. God does." - Jim Garlow

So the unsaved truckers who have some vague vestige of Christian-Judeo values are now akin to the fall of communism and the Soviet Union? Your claim here is that they realized that God rules them, which is why they protested? That is not even close to what the actual truckers have said. The government by the way are not the "elites." Stop the political talking points and scare tactics.

"Many of them realize that the God of the Bible is the one who has all authority, and He has granted to the citizens the sacred and precious right to exercise governmental authority. Trudeau has no clue what is happening. He may tamp it down for a while, but he will never be able to permanently stop it. Biden does not understand it. Many world leaders do not grasp it. It is not partisan. It has little to nothing to do with political parties. Using the terms we recognize in the United States, this is not Republican vs. Democrat. This is not Right versus Left. This is, however, most definitely right versus wrong. This is good versus evil. This is biblical versus anti-biblical. This is God versus anti-God." - Jim Garlow

This is where the NAR has taken modern Christianity. Down a rabbit hole of unbiblical silliness in the name of God. So now if you are pro-medicine and pro-law, you are anti-God? People who think everyone should be vaccinated to stop the spread of a virus that has killed close to six million people are evil? This is about right and wrong and Jim Garlow is so far gone he cannot see how wrong he is. His statement here is asinine and offensive. The people of Canada voted for the people who have imposed the mandates. What Garlow is actually saying is if you do not like what your government decrees THEN you can state God is the only one with authority and ignore the government? You think that is remotely biblical? The authority does not bear the sword for no reason. Perhaps the most absurd claim is this is not political. Jim Garlow is bought and wholly owned by the Republican Party. He admits it here by bad mouthing the current president. This is about a small group of truckers who didn't want to get vaccinated but according to Jim Garlow it is really about good and evil. Oh and if you do not side with him, you must be evil. How utterly disgusting.

"Some people know it. Some who may not recognize this reality, however, are experiencing it.

So long as the truck protests can avoid outside agitators inciting evil actions or words, God is going to bless this. The truckers may set Canada free. At this point, it is too early to tell. Then maybe America, then possibly Australia. Then country after country. We have heard of trucker convoys formulating in places as far away as Israel. These words are not hyperbole or melodrama. This is the promise of God, who will still be here after Trudeau and Biden and all the other enemies of freedom have ended their times of enslaving the people whose liberty they can never permanently take. Political leaders did not give freedom. Therefore they cannot forever take it away. God looked down. He looked for someone who would say yes. He found them. In Canada. A group of truckers." - Jim Garlow

Notice who the enemies of freedom are? And I thought this wasn't political Jim? Please. The NAR dominionist cause has been completely compromised and is owned by the far right in this country and many places around the world. Let us not lose sight of what this was supposed to be about. People are enslaved throughout this world but not by a government insisting they get vaccinated. This group of truckers was wrong for insisting on not obeying the law. They were wrong for blocking a border crossing and stopping the flow of goods between Canada and the US. There is nothing right nor righteous about their cause. God most certainly did NOT look down and make them do this. The entire debacle has NOTHING to do with God or the gospel. It embarrasses the cause of Christ worldwide. As we now enter part two of this article, I will just pick some highlights to summarize as this has gone on long enough.

"If there were enough "biblical applicationalists" (understanding what the Word says on all public policy issues), and pastors who are governmentally astute (recognizing that God created government), sophisticated and articulate (winsomely preaching the Word on God's view of governmental issues) in the United States, we would not be in the condition we are. If Canada had enough courageous pastors, God would not have needed to spark this movement with truck drivers." - Jim Garlow

The Great Commission does not command us to go and change every governmental structure on earth. It says to preach the gospel to the lost. Every single second preaching about carnal governments is a second not preaching the gospel. It has no place in the pulpit. At the very best, you can say you have discerned the lesser of two evils when picking a political party or candidate. The problem is your lesser is your opinion and you still end up defending evil. Just as an example from history let's quickly look at the late 1990's when the moral majority was screaming about morality and the hated Bill Clinton. The top three Republican screamers were Newt Gingrich, Bob Livingston, and Dennis Hastert. Years after the impeachment of Bill Clinton for lying on a civil deposition, we found out about the morality of those that the church propped up. Turns out Gingrich was having an affair at that time with a woman half his age he would end up leaving his wife for. Livingston had so many marital affairs his own party made him resign. And Dennis Hastert? He became federal inmate 47991-424 after being convicted for being a serial child molester. The point is when you prop up man, any man, of any party, they will never be righteous. All are evil and have turned away from God. So, stop pretending your guy is God's choice. He isn't. God did not give us the bible to resolve public policy debates. Preach the gospel!

"In the meantime, God is still at work in remarkable and encouraging ways that I find truly exciting. Simply put, the Canadian truckers are being used by God to produce some righteous results. God continues to find personsflawed as we arefor His cause, not only in the Americas but in all the countries of the world. God looked at: Hungary and found Viktor Orban and made him prime minister. Brazil and found Jair Bolsonaro and made him president. Bolivia and found Jeanine Anez and made her president (until the Communists came back in 2020 and threw her in prison, where she remains under horrific conditionsuntil we pray her out). Guatemala and found Jimmy Morales and then Alejandro Giammattei, and made them presidentone after the other. There are so many more examples like this, where God seemingly looks down upon the earth and says, "I am going to use him," "her" or "them." All of these were and are flawed, as much as you and I, but God found them and used them, in part I believe, because He could not find enough bold and godly pastors to lead in national righteousness. So God said, "I'll use the Canadian truckers." And He did." - Jim Garlow

So, in conclusion Garlow leaves no doubt that he is just a political hack disguised as a Christian leader. Viktor Orban has whittled away the freedoms in Hungary since taking office. He is now a defacto dictator. Bolsonaro is just as bad and has been a constant source of vaccine disinformation even recently claiming the vaccinated have a higher chance of catching AIDS. Oh, and he just got back from a "solidarity" meeting with Vladimir Putin. Anez stands accused of a coup and genocide, for which she is facing trial. Morales and his successor have stood watch over an unprecedented rise in violence and poverty in Guatemala. These are the people Jim Garlow thinks God chose to use. God did no such thing. What these thugs and autocrats have in common is they are of the same political persuasion as Garlow. God is not impressed nor is He mocked. You can protest that you do not agree with the government. That is your right. What you cannot do however is cause chaos, thumb your nose to the authorities that be, and most certainly you cannot pretend God is actually orchestrating the entire sham. He is not. The NAR dominionist worships these carnal countries and it represents the last idol of the church age. Do not bow down and prostrate yourself before people you are sold as being higher on the sliding scale of morality. Remember when Jesus walked the earth there was real oppression of His own people. They prayed He would deliver them from it. He did absolutely nothing about it because His kingdom is not of this world and the gospel is of far greater importance than any tinpot dictator wannabe or unvaccinated trucker. Far greater.

Reverend Anthony Wade - February 19, 2022

Authors Bio:
Credentialed Minister of the Gospel for the Assemblies of God. Owner and founder of 828 ministries. Vice President for Goodwill Industries. Always remember that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose.