(LFC Comments: Have you ever heard the expression that you are “over the hill”?  We contend that there is something much worse than being called “over the hill”…that is, when you look back and there was not much of a hill at all.) 

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Here is a message from the Foundation of Applied Conservative Leadership:

“Evil prevails when good men sit and do nothing.”

This quote has been one of my life’s mottos and why I am so passionately involved in politics.

I believe I have no right to complain about any elected leader if I am unwilling to enter the civic arena myself and defend my own future.

Similarly, I am a Christian who is called to be the salt of the earth.  If I am not living a transformative life, then I am not good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.

As citizens of America, we are blessed with a representative form of self-governance.

Unfortunately, far too many of our conservative brothers and sisters choose NOT to vote and, in turn, leave our government to those who aim to fundamentally transform America into a godless socialist utopia.

As conservatives, we are often trampled underfoot due to our complacency.

DEVIL’S PLAYGROUND

Sadly, too often, when liberty activists and people of faith work hard to elect men and women who seem to genuinely share our values, we find that our newly-elected politicians fall for the trappings and temptations of power.

Many estimable people are elected with righteous goals and pure intentions.  They leave their homes, their spouses and their families to take on the evils of this world.

Upon arrival at the Capitol, they often live on their own, and regularly attend legislative events and dinners with lobbyists, staff and other “players.”

Colleagues continually encourage and perpetuate this lifestyle, and the environment can truly be a devil’s playground.

IRON SHARPENS IRON

As a conservative activist, I implore you to come alongside your elected leaders BEFORE the culture of the Capitol takes them captive.

Hold them up in prayer.

Hold them accountable.

Encourage your representatives to join/form Bible study groups, attend private meetings with you and other trusted activists, and surround themselves with like-minded people of faith.

“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.”
-Romans 12:2

LET US NOT BECOME WEARY IN DOING GOOD

Certainly, as I can attest, there are spiritual battles beyond the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life.

How about anger or despair?

When I was elected to the Colorado State Legislature in 2002, the Republican Party controlled the House, the Senate and the Governor’s office.

Shockingly, over the next few years, I witnessed the Democrats take control of each branch of government.

Several multi-millionaire radical homosexual activists, along with Planned Parenthood and the teachers’ unions, joined with extreme environmental groups to take over Colorado.

This resulted in a dramatic political and spiritual shift that was felt throughout the entire state.

• On his very first day in office, the newly-elected Democrat Governor authorized public funding of abortions — in direct violation of our state Constitution.
• The legislature quickly passed same-sex marriage — directly violating a prohibition in our state Constitution.
• The Democrat legislature also passed the most restrictive gun control measures in our state’s history.
• The Governor unionized the state employee workforce.
• The environmental community had a field day — they passed every radical bill they wanted.
• With frustration, I also witnessed the Democrats overturn three laws which I had personally sponsored.  They repealed my bills which prohibited in-state tuition and driver’s licenses for illegal immigrants, and they repealed all state sanctions against sanctuary cities.
• Finally, during my last legislative session, they passed liberal election reforms which created all mail-in balloting and same-day voter registration (otherwise known as same-day voter fraud).

For ten years, I had a front row seat to a radical leftist takeover of my state.

Words cannot describe the despair I felt.

And that is the enemy’s goal — to make us believe our cause is futile.

I was blessed to have allies outside the Capitol who encouraged me not to give up.

It is in these darkest hours when we must resolve to fight even harder, fight smarter, and fight stronger.

Other patriots are watching to see how we will respond.

What will we do?

Will we listen to the lies of the enemy?  Or will we rise up, regroup and overcome?

We must not grow weary!

FOR AT THE PROPER TIME, WE WILL REAP A HARVEST IF WE DO NOT GIVE UP

Temptation and despair are flaming darts the enemy uses to keep us from being our most effective.

The history of our country is filled with stories of righteous men and women — who against all odds — rose up, overcame, and secured our freedoms.

You and I can draw strength from these examples and trust that righteousness will ultimately prevail.

At the conclusion of every Foundation for Applied Conservative Leadership class I teach, we end with the following Scripture:

The wicked put up a bold front,
but the upright give thought to their ways.
There is no wisdom, no insight, no plan
that can succeed against the Lord.
The horse is made ready for the day of battle,
but victory rests with the Lord.
-Psalm 21:29-31

This should be a powerful statement of encouragement for each of us.  God does not call us to be victorious by our own power.

He calls us to be courageous and never back down, despite our circumstances.  Even those who doubt or do not share the Christian faith should be able to attest to the wisdom of these verses.

He calls us to be ready for the day of battle — to plan, prepare, act and evaluate!

I hope you will take time this Christmas season to reflect on the many blessings we have been given simply because we live in this amazing country.

I encourage you to thank God for the victories we have achieved over the last year.

And to gird yourself for the coming legislative session.

Those of us at the Foundation for Applied Conservative Leadership look forward to standing shoulder-to-shoulder with you in 2020.

God bless, and best wishes for the New Year.

Colorado Senator Ted Harvey (Ret.)
FACL School Instructor

Categories: Community Activism, Uncategorized

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