Both President Trump and Speaker Pelosi have the position and authority they have because of God.

Romans 13:1, “Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.”

A house divided shall not stand is such a vital truth God repeated it three times.

Matthew 12:25, “And Jesus knew their thoughts, and said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand:”

Mark 3:25, “And if a house be divided against itself, that house cannot stand.”

Luke 11:17, “But he, knowing their thoughts, said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and a house divided against a house falleth.”

This house divided thought should be familiar to every American. About two and a half years before being elected President, Abraham Lincoln gave his famous “House Divided Speech” quoting Jesus.

Here is what Lincoln said about a divided America, “A house divided against itself, cannot stand. I believe this government cannot endure, permanently, half slave and half free. I do not expect the Union to be dissolved — I do not expect the house to fall — but I do expect it will cease to be divided. It will become all one thing or all the other. Either the opponents of slavery will arrest the further spread of it, and place it where the public mind shall rest in the belief that it is in the course of ultimate extinction; or its advocates will push it forward, till it shall become lawful in all the States, old as well as new — North as well as South.”

Lincoln emphasized during the civil war that he was attempting to “preserve the Union.” That is not technically correct; he was trying to put the Union back together. The Union did dissolve the minute states started seceding.

In the end, however, Lincoln was correct, the Union eventually endured, but the devastation that took place to reunite was catastrophic.

Jesus was right as well, as He was quoted twice, “Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation.”

The Civil War ended with many southern cities in ashes. Nearly every American family, North, and South, buried their dead, thousands of young men returned home missing limbs and other injuries. The land laid desolated.

Say what you will about Speaker Pelosi ripping up the State of the Union speech. Still, one thing it did symbolize is that our nation is divided, ripped in two.

Neither the North nor the South anticipated a shooting war. Even after Ft. Sumter, both sides expected a quick (six months at most) resolution.

I am not advocating, nor am I expecting our nation to fall into a civil war. However, I do believe, as Lincoln said in his speech, “I do expect it will cease to be divided. It will become all one thing or all the other.”

Since the turn of the twentieth century, there have been two political thoughts in our nation. On one side, a more liberal, socialist view, with a more capitalist, conservative thinking on the other.

Before the Civil War, the political sides, slavery vs. freedom, compromised. The two most glaring attempts at compromise were the three-fifths compromise written into the original Constitution and the Missouri Compromise of 1820. By the time the election of Lincoln in 1860 rolled around, there was no room for compromise on either side.

In all negotiations, both sides bring to the table things they are willing to lose. Items discussed they would like to have but are more than ready to throw out in the spirit of “compromise.”

Some issues are a little trickier. These are things one party or the other is willing to nudge on some, but unwilling to dismiss. These areas are the areas compromise can happen.

Lastly, each side has its core values. These are the things that are unnegotiable; these are the deal-breakers.

In 1860, there was nowhere to compromise; both sides were down to their core values.

Today, after more than a century of compromise between liberal and conservative, between socialism and capitalism, each side is down to its core values – no more room to compromise.

How will it all come out in the end? Will it be all one way or the other? Will there be “desolation” before the dust settles? Will the giant we call America fall? Whenever I ask that last question, I cannot help but remember that no one thought we would see the end of the Soviet Union.

Lastly, to the Christians, I do believe however the current political standoff ends, we will have a crucial part to play. 2 Chronicles 7:14, “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.”

Preacher Johnson is Pastor of Countryside Baptist Church in northern Parke County Indiana. Webpage: www.preacherspoint.wordpress.com; email: preacherspoint@gmail.com; mail: 410 S. Jefferson St. Rockville IN 47872.