RNC Day 2: Promises Made, Promises Kept
“Promises made—promises kept” was the unspoken theme of the second night of the Republican National Convention headlined by first lady Melania Trump. She grew up under communism herself and experienced firsthand the evils of a godless Marxist society, which the daily demonstrations happening throughout the country are now trying to push through.
“Growing up as a child in Slovenia, which was under communist rule at the time, I always heard about an amazing place called America—a land that stood for freedom and opportunity. … after 10 years of paperwork and patience, I studied for the test in 2006 and became an American citizen. It is still one of the proudest moments in my life,” the first lady explained.
“[Donald Trump] is the first president to address a special session of the United Nations General Assembly to call upon countries across the world to end religious persecution and honor the right of every person to worship as they choose … and this president continues to fight for school choice,” Melania said.
Abby Johnson, who worked at an abortion clinic and walked away from it all when she watched as a precious baby fought with all its heart while being aborted, spoke of that life-changing experience. Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron proudly proclaimed that he was Black, free and loved the Lord Jesus Christ and would never let anyone tell him what to do via the offensive words from the other side: “If you aren’t voting me for you, you ain’t Black.” He added in contrast, “My values were shaped by my faith and by my parents … and we carry the mantle of Eisenhower and of Reagan to be a force for good in this world.”
The evening’s first highlight was two events presided over by the president—the first, the naturalization of five new Americans from across the world who followed the rules. They embodied an administration that has brought in the largest number of legal immigrants in history while at the same stopping the illegal invasion that has threatened to destroy the nation, taking jobs from millions of Americans.
The second highlight was Trump’s surprise pardon of former bank robber Jon Ponder in an emotional encounter. The president introduced Ponder by saying, “Jon dedicated his life to Christ. He spent the rest of his time in prison studying the Bible. In the last 10 years since Jon was released, he’s created one of the most successful reentry programs in La Vegas.”
Presidential adviser Larry Kudlow, a former alcoholic who met Christ and also had his life turned around, told of the transformation of the economy and the fight against COVID-19 with a message of hope, vision and a testimony to the gospel’s transforming power.
From Navajo Nation Vice President Myron Lizer to Mary Ann Mendoza, whose son was killed by an illegal alien, to Florida’s Lt. Gov. Jeanette Núñez, it was a coalition covering a wide range of cultures and histories but with most sharing two fundamental passions: the love of country and the love of the Lord Jesus Christ. Both were strongly, consistently and powerfully expressed by nearly every speaker.
If there were a favorite moment of the night, though, it came from an unlikely face and voice. Nicholas Sandmann, just turned 18, attended the 2019 March for Life in Washington, D.C., and was pilloried for refusing to be cancelled when he simply and quietly stood in front of the Lincoln Memorial wearing a MAGA (“Make America Great Again”) hat.
“My life changed forever in that one moment. The full war machine of the mainstream media revved up into attack mode … without ever asking for my side of the story…. advancing their anti-Christian …. narrative was all that mattered. … But I would not be cancelled. I fought back hard to expose the media that tried to cancel me, and I won a personal victory,” Sandmann said.
As the bestselling author of God, Trump and COVID-19 Steve Strang says, ” Our country needs four more years of keeping promises to the American people.” From showing how Trump has kept his promises by defending life (the words of pro-life activist Abby Johnson) to moving the U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem (the message from Secretary of State Mike Pompeo) to the promise to stop illegal immigration (the naturalization ceremony) to the strong promise to defend the First Amendment and the evils of the cancel culture (Nicholas Sandmann’s testimony)—promises that have been made for nearly a half-century and never before kept resounded throughout the evening as once again, the Lord Jesus Christ, His love and His glory, took center stage.
Pompeo, speaking from Jerusalem, proudly told of the historic agreement between Israel and the United Arab Emirates and said, “The president approved a strike that killed the Iranian terrorist Qasem Soleimani. This is the man most responsible for the killing and maiming of hundreds of American troops and thousands of Christians across the Middle East. The president moved the U.S. Embassy to this very city of God, Jerusalem, the rightful capital of the Jewish homeland. … An American hostage imprisoned in Turkey for two years, Pastor Andrew Brunson, said on his release that he survived his ordeal with three words of Scripture: ‘Be faithful, endure and finish well,” as summarized in 2 Timothy 4.
From moving the embassy to Jerusalem, to appointing two Supreme Court justices and 300 judges, to removing the onerous Johnson Amendment that prevented churches from speaking out, to going to the United Nations to demand that Christians be persecuted no more, to creating the greatest economy in history, the promises Trump made were more than kept. However, the gains for believers and for the church at large will all be reversed in just 68 short days without sustained prayer, dramatic voter mobilization efforts and the support of the 37 million Christians who failed to vote in 2016. {eoa}
Amir George is the author of Liberating Iraq and directs The World Helpline at theworldhelpline.org.
People Needed: Capitol Hill Daily Prayer 7:30 a.m./12 p.m., Hart Senate Office Building, Constitution Ave./Supreme Court entrance.
Even if you can’t come, please pause to pray at 7:30/12 and let us know at thewhitehouseprayerteam@gmail.
