P.O. Box 640109

El Paso, TX 79904

20 September, 1998

Dear Children,

So what did you learn from last week’s message? Well even if you didn’t get anything out of the message, the one thing that you should have picked up on real quick was that I Can’t Spell!!! Because based on the shear numbers of my mistakes (there were lots of em) I’m pretty sure that even the worst speller in the world could have found at least one seriously misspelled word. Talk about embarrassing!

But even though all these misspelled words were a very ugly thing to happen to me, I’ve got a very good excuse. You see the truth of the matter is that last week’s message was so intense that it took me right on into the midnight hour before finally finishing. And to put it in simple terms, finishing up last week’s sermonet was a real struggle to say the least. In fact to be exact it was somewhere around 1:00 AM Monday morning (Sunday night) that I finally hit the bed, and believe you me that’s not a very good way to start off a new work week. But the facts are that I had something very important to say, and Satan tried his best to stop me from saying it. And even though he managed to get me to mail out a letter full of mistakes, he certainly didn’t stop the message of God’s Word from getting out.

Because it was Sunday night after having stuffed all the envelopes that I finally realized my "fatal" error (I had printed out the copies before running the spell check program on the computer). And even though my pride tried to get me to postpone the mailing until all corrections had been made, I decided to go ahead and get it out on time, ignoring the fact that the world would see my very own gross imperfections with their very own eyes. I mean after all, what better way to start this week’s message than by admitting to the fact that what I did last week was not as good as it could have been because I didn’t use all the tools God gave me to do it with.

Understand? Well the facts are that even though this computer, with all it’s marvelous little helpers (spell check), has the potential to do great and mighty things, it can’t do them unless I ask it to do them. And seeing how I didn’t ask it to check my spelling, the whole world now knows just how bad a speller I really am. And of course after now having made that opening statement (God gives us the tools to do the job He’s called us to do) we will now continue on with the message for this week of Should President Clinton Resign From Office?

Now personally I don’t think anyone could pick a much HOTTER topic to discuss... but then again I didn’t pick it. You see I believe it was Thursday night, after having researched all week for what I thought was going to be the message of the week, that I finally asked the Lord what He wanted. And it was right about then that Lord told me to get the message from II Chronicles 13... and boy what a message it is. Because you see this message that God wants me to give to you today goes back a few months in time. It’s kinda like one of those things that’s been on my mind for well over a year but I just never felt led of the Lord to research it and write on it. That’s the way it was until I listened to a tape that I picked up while at Jimmy Swaggart’s Labor Day Camp Meeting service. Because on this tape was a message that Brother Jimmy preached on the 30th of August, 1998... and the title of his message was Should President Clinton Resign From Office?

So I bought the tape on a Saturday and it was the following Tuesday morning on my way to work that I started listening to it. I played it once, and I played it twice. In fact I played it over and over and over again, non stop, right on through until this morning. And to be honest with you the reason that I had to play it so many times was because there was a whole lot of information on it that most of the world has a hard time understanding (including me). And what the world doesn’t understand is something Brother Swaggart does understand because he has already been there and done that.

You see the bottom line statement in Brother Swaggart’s message was that President Clinton has made a few serious mistakes in his term of office (he didn’t use the tools God gave him to get the job done), he’s been caught red handed, and he’s finally admitting to this error by asking forgiveness for his sins. And it’s all because of this one fact, in combination with what the Word of God has to say about the whole situation, that Brother Swaggart has said what he has said; forgive him and let him get on with the business at hand (his job as president). Now of course Brother Swaggart’s message was a whole lot deeper than what I have just described... but I’m not even going to go into the details of what he had to say... because I’ve got my very own message from God to cover.

So where do we start with such a complex message? How about another true confession? You see even though I’m about to write a message in support of President Clinton, let it be known that I am not one of those who put Bill Clinton into his position as president. You see I didn’t particularly care for his way of thinking, but it appears that most of the American people did. And since that’s what the majority of the people wanted that’s what God gave them.

Because in the first place the United States of America was founded on a very strong belief in God Almighty. That’s the way the U.S. of A. got it’s start. And you had better believe that we as a nation wouldn’t be where we are today if it wouldn’t have been for the Power of God making it all happen. You see God is in control and He is more than able to handle any and all situations that might come up against us. But we as a nation of God must continue to follow the plan of God faithfully (use the tools that God has given us to get the job done) if we plan to continue receiving the blessings of God.

And to lay a little ground work on this business of presidents, let’s start off the message by turning to I Samuel 8, and reading about the very first president (king) that God gave His chosen people: "And it came to pass, when Samuel was old, that he made his sons judges over Israel... And his sons walked not in his ways, but turned aside after lucre, and took bribes, and perverted judgment. Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together, and came to Samuel unto Ramah, And said unto him, Behold, thou art old, and thy sons walk not in thy ways: now make us a king to judge us like all nations... And the Lord said to Samuel, Hearken unto their voice, and make them a king."

Now I’m not going to go into a whole lot of detail because if I do I’ll run out of paper. But Samuel was a very important man of God who served in three positions over the nation of Israel; prophet, priest, and judge. And in his old age the nation of Israel decided that they wanted a change, they wanted a king. And even though God was not really ready to give them a king, He went ahead and did what He didn’t want to do because they wanted it real bad. And seeing how God’s choice of presidents (David) wasn’t ready for the job yet, God had to make His best choice from the available pickings. And just as we will see by reading on into chapter 9, this best choice happened to be a man called Saul: "Now there was a man of Benjamin... And he had a son, whose name was Saul, a choice young man, and a goodly: and there was not among the children of Israel a goodlier person than he: from his shoulders and upward he was higher than any of the people."

And continuing on into chapters 9 and 10 we see God’s miraculous transformation take place: "Now the Lord had told Samuel in his ear a day before Saul came, saying, To morrow about this time I will send a man out of the land of Benjamin, and thou shalt anoint him to be captain over my people Israel, that he may save my people out of the hand of the Philistines: for I have looked upon my people, because their cry is come unto me... Then Samuel took a vial of oil, and poured it upon his head (Saul’s), and kissed him, and said, Is it not because the Lord hath anointed thee to be captain over his inheritance?... And the Spirit of the LORD will come upon thee, and thou shalt prophesy with them, and shalt be turned into another man. And let it be, when these signs are come unto thee, that thou do as occasion serve thee; for God is with thee."

So God had done everything in His power to make this man Saul the best possible king that he could be. But even though God had given him "The Anointing of the Holy Spirit" there were still problems that could arise. Because reading on into chapter 12 we find, "And Samuel said unto all Israel, Behold, I have hearkened unto your voice in all that ye said unto me, and have made a king over you. And now, behold, the king walketh before you... Now therefore behold the king whom ye have chosen, and whom ye have desired! and, behold, the LORD hath set a king over you. If ye will fear the LORD, and serve him, and obey his voice, and not rebel against the commandment of the LORD, then shall both ye and also the king that reigneth over you continue following the LORD your God... But if ye shall still do wickedly, ye shall be consumed, both ye and your king."

Did you catch the meaning behind that last statement? Samuel was talking to the nation of Israel when he said "But if ye shall still do wickedly, ye shall be consumed, both ye and your king". In other words the ability of the king to be successful depended on the people obeying God. And if they didn’t behave themselves as children of God (do wicked things) then not only would they be consumed (fires of Hell?) but also their fearless leader King Saul.

So let’s read on and see what was the final outcome of the story. Picking up the story in I Samuel 15:10, "Then came the word of the LORD unto Samuel, saying, It repenteth me that I have set Saul to be king: for he is turned back from following me, and hath not performed my commandments. And it grieved Samuel; and he cried unto the LORD all night... Then Samuel said unto Saul... For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, he hath also rejected thee from being king. And Saul said unto Samuel, I have sinned: for I have transgressed the commandment of the LORD, and thy words: because I feared the people, and obeyed their voice."

Now does that last sentence kinda like ring a bell? Wasn’t that what Samuel had just warned the people not to do? They had wanted a king, and God had given them what they wanted, but He had also given them a very strong warning of how not to destroy their new king. But evidently they didn’t listen any too well because the resulting disaster that took place is found in I Chronicles 10:13-14: "So Saul died for his transgression which he committed against the LORD, even against the word of the LORD, which he kept not, and also for asking counsel of one that had a familiar spirit, to enquire of it; And enquired not of the LORD: therefore he slew him, and turned the kingdom unto David the son of Jesse."

What a shame! A good king gone bad and all because he listened to his faithful followers. So now that the peoples choice has failed it’s time for God’s choice to take charge. And without getting into the nitty gritty details, David did a bang up job of taking control of God’s chosen people. And as David’s life is coming to a close we read the rest of the story in I Kings 2:1-4, "Now the days of David drew nigh that he should die; and he charged Solomon his son, saying, I go the way of all the earth: be thou strong therefore, and show thyself a man; And keep the charge of the LORD thy God, to walk in his ways, to keep his statutes, and his commandments, and his judgments, and his testimonies, as it is written in the law of Moses, that thou mayest prosper in all that thou doest, and whithersoever thou turnest thyself: That the LORD may continue his word which he spake concerning me, saying, If thy children take heed to thy way, to walk before me in truth with all their heart and with all their soul, their shall not fail thee (said he) a man on the throne of Israel."

You see it was God’s desire that His choice of kings (David) would continue on forever and ever. Because not only would David have many sons who could rule like their father, but there was coming the day when the Everlasting King of kings and Lord of lords (Jesus) would be born into this same royal family. So even though David was officially king #2, he was really the first in the blood line of Jesus.

So Solomon takes over as king and God continues to give him the same promise as his father David: "And if thou wilt walk before me as David thy father walked, in integrity of heart, and in uprightness, to do according to all that I have commanded thee, and wilt keep my statutes and my judgments: Then I will establish the throne of thy kingdom upon Israel for ever, as I promised to David thy father, saying, There shall not fail thee a man upon the throne of Israel." (I Kings 9:4-5)

That was what God promised but that was not what Solomon did, because in chapter 11, verses 33-36, we find God speaking of Solomon when He said, "Because that they have forsaken me, and have worshipped Ashtoreth the goddess of the Zidonians, Chemosh the god of the Moabites, and Milcom the god of the children of Ammon, and have not walked in my ways, to do that which is right in mine eyes, and to keep my statutes and my judgments, as did David his father. Howbeit I will not take the whole kingdom out of his hand... And unto his son will I give one tribe, that David my servant may have a light alway before me in Jerusalem, the city which I have chosen to put my name there."

Now that’s what you call a radical reduction in power. You see it was because of Solomon’s disobedience to God that the once peaceful nation of Israel was about to go into a full fledged burnout (total chaos). It was what you might call one great big old family feud (fight) and it was about to happen within the twelve tribes of Israel. And this takes us up right on up to Solomon’s son Rehoboam (king #3) who had a son named Abijam who became king #4.

And now for the good part! Because what we are about to read is the story of the king who God wants us to use as a comparison to President Clinton. This is only the beginning of the rest of the story that we will get into very shortly. But anyway, reading on from I Kings 15:1-8, "Now in the eighteenth year of king Jeroboam the son of Nebat reigned Abijam over Judah. Three years reigned he in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Maachah, the daughter of Abishalom. And he walked in all the sins of his father, which he had done before him: and his heart was not perfect with the LORD his God, as the heart of David his father."

So what do you think about this king? Is this really what God Almighty thinks of President Clinton? Well analyzing what we have just read, the king’s name was Abijam (which means agitation of the sea) and his mother’s name was Maachah (which means cruelty). And seeing how the names used in the Scripture were a pretty good indication of the people who they were attached to, the rest of the description just seems to fall right on into place. Because the Scripture goes on to say that Abijam followed the footsteps of his father when it came to sinning, and the bloodline of his "father" just so happened to be Absalom. And for those of you who might not be familiar with this fellow Absalom, please let me fill you in real quick. Absalom was a son of the God called, God anointed King David, but he was also what you might call "a snake in the grass". The truth of the matter was that Absalom might have been a son of David but it sure seemed as though his heart belonged to Satan.

But even with all those very negative things in mind, God still gave Abijam a chance at being king over His chosen people. Because as we continue on with the reading we find, "Nevertheless for David’s sake did the LORD his God give him a lamp in Jerusalem, to set up his son after him, and to establish Jerusalem: Because David did that which was right in the eyes of the LORD, and turned not aside from any thing that he commanded him all the days of his life, save only in the matter of Uriah the Hittite. And there was war between Rehoboam and Jeroboam all the days of his life. Now the rest of the acts of Abijam, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? And there was war between Abijam and Jeroboam. And Abijam slept with his fathers; and they buried him in the city of David: and Asa his son reigned in his stead."

So King Abijam was the chosen son of Rehoboam who would continue on the family of kings that would eventually bring Jesus the Christ into the world. And that was the story of King Abijam as told in the book of I Kings. But before we go on into the book of II Chronicles and read yet another account of this same king’s life, we must first understand the difference between the two writer’s points of view (Kings and Chronicles). You see the book of Kings was written from the viewpoint of us humans. In other words the book of Kings tends to look on the flesh instead of the heart (outside verses inside). But on the other hand the book of Chronicles tends to look as only God can (the heart instead of the flesh).

Now keep it in mind that the Scripture we are about to read (II Chronicles 13) is what God laid on my heart concerning President Clinton. And once again it’s a very short story of King Abijam’s reign over God’s people as seen through the eyes of God. So reading it for ourselves, "Now in the eighteenth year of king Jeroboam began Abijah to reign over Judah. He reigned three years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name also was Milchaiah the daughter of Uriel of Gibeah. And there was war between Abijah and Jeroboam. And Abijah set the battle in array with an army of valiant men of war, even four hundred thousand chosen men: Jeroboam also set the battle in array against him with eight hundred thousand chosen men, being mighty men of valour."

OK, now if you will look very closely at what we’ve just read you’ll see a few differences between this Scripture and the one in I Kings. First of all Abijam’s name has been changed to Abijah which means "God is my Father". So in name only, this king has gone from a "trouble maker" to a "child of God". And that ain’t all. Take a look at his mother because she got a name change too. Her name has been changed from Maachah (cruelty) to Michaiah (who is like God). Wow, talk about radical changes!

So as you can see God’s way of looking at this king (Chronicles) was definitely different than man’s way (Kings). And based on what we have just read, this family feud that I was talking about was getting ready to shift into high gear, because Abijah (king of the tribe of Judah) was about to go toe to toe with Jeroboam (king of the rest of the nation of Israel). You see this story took place after the split up of the family, and from the standpoint of numbers, Abijam’s situation with the tribe of Judah didn’t look any too good (he was outnumbered two to one).

But that didn’t stop him, because as we read on we find: "And Abijah stood up upon mount Zemaraim, which is in mount Ephraim, and said, Hear me, thou Jeroboam, and all Israel; Ought ye not to know that the LORD God of Israel gave the kingdom over Israel to David for ever, even to him and to his sons by a covenant of salt? Yet Jeroboam the son of Nebat, the servant of Solomon the son of David, is risen up, and hath rebelled against his lord. And there are gathered unto him vain men, the children of Belial, and have strengthened themselves against Rehoboam the son of Solomon, when Rehoboam was young and tenderhearted, and could not withstand them."

Now there ain’t no doubt about the fact that this little fellow Abijah is what you might call fiesty. I mean this king is a real go getter. But he’s only getting warmed up because he goes on to say, "And now ye think to withstand the kingdom of the LORD in the hand of the sons of David; and ye be a great multitude, and there are with you golden calves, which Jeroboam made you for gods. Have ye not cast out the priest of the LORD, the sons of Aaron, and the Levites, and have made you priests after the manner of the nations of other lands? so that whosoever cometh to consecrate himself with a young bullock and seven rams, the same may be a priest of them that are no gods."

Now just for your information, we skipped over a sizable part of the story. There just wasn’t enough paper to fit it all in. And the part that we didn’t read was where God gave Jeroboam not only most of the kingdom of Israel but also the Power of God to rule it the way God wanted him to rule it... but Jeroboam blew it even worse than King Saul did. And that’s exactly what fiesty King Abijah is bragging about. Because he goes on to boast even more, "But as for us, the LORD is our God, and we have not forsaken him; and the priests, which minister unto the LORD, are the sons of Aaron, and the Levites wait upon their business: And they burn unto the LORD every morning and every evening burnt sacrifices and sweet incense: the shewbread also set they in order upon the pure table; and the candlestick of gold with the lamps thereof, to burn every evening: for we keep the charge of the LORD our God; but ye have forsaken him. And, behold, God himself is with us for our captain, and his priests with sounding trumpets to cry alarm against you. O children of Israel, fight ye not against the LORD God of your fathers; for ye shall not prosper."

Well everything that Abijah said makes perfectly good sense to me. I mean when you are fighting against God you don’t stand a chance. But evidently King Jeroboam didn’t read his Bible; he definitely didn’t know the Power of God. Because as we read on into the very next verse, "But Jeroboam caused an ambushment to come about behind them: so they were before Judah, and the ambushment was behind them. And when Judah looked back, behold, the battle was before and behind: and they cried unto the LORD, and the priests sounded with the trumpets. Then the men of Judah gave a shout: and as the men of Judah shouted, it came to pass, that God smote Jeroboam and all Israel before Abijah and Judah. And the children of Israel fled before Judah: and God delivered them into their hand. And Abijah and his people slew them with a great slaughter: so there fell down slain of Israel five hundred thousand chosen men."

Not a pretty sight! So many wasted lives and all because they weren’t in tune with God the Father. And now for the ending of the story: "Thus the children of Israel were brought under at that time, and the children of Judah prevailed, because they relied upon the LORD God of their fathers. And Abijah pursued after Jeroboam, and took cities from him, Bethel with the towns thereof, and Jeshanah with the towns thereof, and Ephrain with the towns thereof. Neither did Jeroboam recover strength again in the days of Abijah: and the LORD struck him, and he died. But Abijah waxed mighty, and married fourteen wives, and begat twenty and two sons, and sixteen daughters. And the rest of the acts of Abijah, and his ways, and his sayings, are written in the story of the prophet Iddo."

Now you’ll just have to believe me, but if God wouldn’t have given me this story, I would have never in a million years imagined that God the Father felt this way about President Clinton. You see God has chosen this man (just as he did Abijam), with all of his undesirable traits, to do the job he has been called to do. And even though President Clinton has done so many bad things that go against the plan of God, he still has the potential to do what he has been called to do. He can become the Abijah who was once the Abijam... I just hope he doesn’t take on the fourteen wives when gets the victory.

So I hope you all can see the picture just as God the Father has shown it to me. The situation with President Clinton is much like the problem King Saul had... with the exception of it’s still not too late. And the one thing that can save our nation (the United States Of America) from the impending disaster of President Clinton’s downfall can all be found in God’s directive to King Solomon before his mighty crash and burn disaster: "If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land."

That’s the key to this whole rotten mess, and I for one didn’t see it because of my own spiritual blindness. God is speaking to His Church (followers of Christ) and the time remaining to straighten things out is getting pretty short. So for those of us who call ourselves Christians, please remember that just the title (Christians) isn’t enough. We must humble ourselves, and pray, and seek God’s face, and turn from our wicked ways; so that God will hear from Heaven, and forgive us our sin, and heal the once mighty United States of America.

Give in, do it God’s way, and KEEP THE FAITH!!!

Love,

Dad (Bruce Hallman)