Even though I graduated from college with a degree in Political Science and Organizational Communications, I have to admit that I really do not enjoy politics.
During my college years, I was fascinated and intrigued with learning about the differences in politics in different countries, governmental procedures, the history of our country, the law, and the impact that someone in politics can have on an entire nation of people. I even considered going to law school, until I got married and focused on building a family instead of a career.
But today, I would rather watch another episode of Spongebob Squarepants than to have to endure a political advertisement or a presidential speech.
In fact, I will admit that I am rarely in-the-know about everything going on in politics, unless it is something that has hit major news on every network and someone would have to be in a coma not to know what was going on.
Now that I have children who are becoming young adults and are starting to think about what the future holds for them, my interest in politics has taken on a new twist. I have swayed from simply wondering about politics, to worrying about it with serious concern.
Despite what I see happening in America, I still believe that God is God, and that He holds the future of our country, and its citizens, in His hands.
However, there are questions that keep nagging at my heart, growing stronger every day: What is happening to our country? What kind of world will my children and grandchildren be living in? Has the US become, or is it becoming, nothing more than a modern day Sodom and Gomorrah, trapped in a sea of depravity? How can we be hopeful about the future that awaits us all?
In 2009, a CBS online news article stated this quote from a Gallop poll:"..the percentage of Americans who identify with some form of a Christian religion has been dropping in recent decades, and now stands at 77 percent. In 1948, the percentage of Christians was 91 percent."
Another poll done by the American Religious Identification Survey, found that 15 percent of Americans now claim no religious affiliation, nearly double the percentage in 1990.
I cannot help but wonder, and almost assume, that the number of professing Christians has dropped even further since last year, and the number of atheists or non-believers has increased.....and I cant help but blame politics, and many of the leaders in charge of running our country.
Leaders who are have good intentions to do what they think is best, but whose intentions are not always grounded on the Word or God, morals, or family values.
Leaders whose intentions are to grant greater freedoms to all people in all areas of life, while rebuking Gods Word, and tying the hands of Christians who long to hold onto it as the foundation of our existence.
My sweet friend Sharon recently posted a profound statement on my Facebook page in reference to one of my recent blog posts. She wrote, "The world wants us to respect their rights to reject the teaching of Gods word, but in truth they are the ones that do not respect our rights to live out what we believe." A true, but sad statement.
In an effort to reach out to the Muslim world last year, President Obama explicitly rejected the idea that we are still a nation founded on Christianity, when he said in a conference in Turkey, "We do not consider ourselves a Christian nation or a Jewish nation or a Muslim nation. We consider ourselves a nation of citizens who are bound by ideals and a set of values."
That same CBS article from last year said this:
Ultimately, the question of whether America is a "Christian nation" depends in large part on how you define the phrase. If a "Christian nation" is simply a nation made largely of Christians, then America is undeniably one. Despite the increase in non-religious Americans, they are still outnumbered more than 6-1 by Christians, according to Gallup.
But if a "Christian nation" is something else – a nation on which laws, behavior and policy are fundamentally tied to Christian ideals – then the question is more complex. The legal system has an undeniable basis in the Christian conception of morality, as does our societal conception of right and wrong.
If we long for the United States to once again be a Christian nation in every sense of the word, as it once was, then we need to fight to meet both of these criteria above, not just one or the other.
What good is it, if we are identified as a Christian nation based on statistics, however, the picture the international community has of us is one based on non-Christian laws, behaviors, and policies?
Does it matter what the statistics say about Christianity in America, if our country operates as a nation that not only accepts, but often promotes things that are in complete contrast to how Gods Word instructs us to live?
God has called us each to such a time as this. A time to stand up for what is right.
A time to stop sitting idly and allowing the anti-Christian voices to be heard, while the Christian voices are muted by accusations of intolerance, or an acceptance of defeat.
A time to stop accepting the status quo, and speak boldly in unity and power.
A time to take a leap of faith, and swim against the current in a raging sea.
A time to recognize that tolerance means respecting other peoples beliefs, not accepting them as the right way.
Nobody likes politics, but politics needs Christians. If we fail to recognize the value of our voice, then we will most certainly continue to see the army of Gods people declining more and more, and the consequence is a nation based on the decisions of sinful people, rather than the Words of a Holy GOd.
God calls His people to unify, and to operate as a unified front for Christ.
Tomorrow is voting day. Every vote counts. Your vote counts. Your voice counts.
It is not about parties or views or personal opinions - its about God. It is about voting for leaders according to their worldview as it is shaped by the Holy Spirit, not according to their worldview based on how culture has conditioned their minds.
Our nation is desperate for leaders that will honor God, and not be against Him or ashamed of Him. Let your Christian voice be heard on November 2nd.
Its time to take our nation back.
2 Samuel 23:2-4 “The Spirit of the Lord speaks through me;his words are upon my tongue.The God of Israel spoke.The Rock of Israel said to me:‘The one who rules righteously, who rules in the fear of God,is like the light of morning at sunrise, like a morning without clouds, like the gleaming of the sun on new grass after rain. (NLT)
Exodus 18:21 But select from all the people some capable, honest men who fear God and hate bribes. Appoint them as leaders over groups of one thousand, one hundred, fifty, and ten. (NLT)
Proverbs 29:12 If a ruler listens to lies, all his officials become wicked. (NIV)
During my college years, I was fascinated and intrigued with learning about the differences in politics in different countries, governmental procedures, the history of our country, the law, and the impact that someone in politics can have on an entire nation of people. I even considered going to law school, until I got married and focused on building a family instead of a career.
But today, I would rather watch another episode of Spongebob Squarepants than to have to endure a political advertisement or a presidential speech.
In fact, I will admit that I am rarely in-the-know about everything going on in politics, unless it is something that has hit major news on every network and someone would have to be in a coma not to know what was going on.
Now that I have children who are becoming young adults and are starting to think about what the future holds for them, my interest in politics has taken on a new twist. I have swayed from simply wondering about politics, to worrying about it with serious concern.
Despite what I see happening in America, I still believe that God is God, and that He holds the future of our country, and its citizens, in His hands.
However, there are questions that keep nagging at my heart, growing stronger every day: What is happening to our country? What kind of world will my children and grandchildren be living in? Has the US become, or is it becoming, nothing more than a modern day Sodom and Gomorrah, trapped in a sea of depravity? How can we be hopeful about the future that awaits us all?
In 2009, a CBS online news article stated this quote from a Gallop poll:"..the percentage of Americans who identify with some form of a Christian religion has been dropping in recent decades, and now stands at 77 percent. In 1948, the percentage of Christians was 91 percent."
Another poll done by the American Religious Identification Survey, found that 15 percent of Americans now claim no religious affiliation, nearly double the percentage in 1990.
I cannot help but wonder, and almost assume, that the number of professing Christians has dropped even further since last year, and the number of atheists or non-believers has increased.....and I cant help but blame politics, and many of the leaders in charge of running our country.
Leaders who are have good intentions to do what they think is best, but whose intentions are not always grounded on the Word or God, morals, or family values.
Leaders whose intentions are to grant greater freedoms to all people in all areas of life, while rebuking Gods Word, and tying the hands of Christians who long to hold onto it as the foundation of our existence.
My sweet friend Sharon recently posted a profound statement on my Facebook page in reference to one of my recent blog posts. She wrote, "The world wants us to respect their rights to reject the teaching of Gods word, but in truth they are the ones that do not respect our rights to live out what we believe." A true, but sad statement.
In an effort to reach out to the Muslim world last year, President Obama explicitly rejected the idea that we are still a nation founded on Christianity, when he said in a conference in Turkey, "We do not consider ourselves a Christian nation or a Jewish nation or a Muslim nation. We consider ourselves a nation of citizens who are bound by ideals and a set of values."
That same CBS article from last year said this:
Ultimately, the question of whether America is a "Christian nation" depends in large part on how you define the phrase. If a "Christian nation" is simply a nation made largely of Christians, then America is undeniably one. Despite the increase in non-religious Americans, they are still outnumbered more than 6-1 by Christians, according to Gallup.
But if a "Christian nation" is something else – a nation on which laws, behavior and policy are fundamentally tied to Christian ideals – then the question is more complex. The legal system has an undeniable basis in the Christian conception of morality, as does our societal conception of right and wrong.
If we long for the United States to once again be a Christian nation in every sense of the word, as it once was, then we need to fight to meet both of these criteria above, not just one or the other.
What good is it, if we are identified as a Christian nation based on statistics, however, the picture the international community has of us is one based on non-Christian laws, behaviors, and policies?
Does it matter what the statistics say about Christianity in America, if our country operates as a nation that not only accepts, but often promotes things that are in complete contrast to how Gods Word instructs us to live?
God has called us each to such a time as this. A time to stand up for what is right.
A time to stop sitting idly and allowing the anti-Christian voices to be heard, while the Christian voices are muted by accusations of intolerance, or an acceptance of defeat.
A time to stop accepting the status quo, and speak boldly in unity and power.
A time to take a leap of faith, and swim against the current in a raging sea.
A time to recognize that tolerance means respecting other peoples beliefs, not accepting them as the right way.
Nobody likes politics, but politics needs Christians. If we fail to recognize the value of our voice, then we will most certainly continue to see the army of Gods people declining more and more, and the consequence is a nation based on the decisions of sinful people, rather than the Words of a Holy GOd.
God calls His people to unify, and to operate as a unified front for Christ.
Tomorrow is voting day. Every vote counts. Your vote counts. Your voice counts.
It is not about parties or views or personal opinions - its about God. It is about voting for leaders according to their worldview as it is shaped by the Holy Spirit, not according to their worldview based on how culture has conditioned their minds.
Our nation is desperate for leaders that will honor God, and not be against Him or ashamed of Him. Let your Christian voice be heard on November 2nd.
Its time to take our nation back.
2 Samuel 23:2-4 “The Spirit of the Lord speaks through me;his words are upon my tongue.The God of Israel spoke.The Rock of Israel said to me:‘The one who rules righteously, who rules in the fear of God,is like the light of morning at sunrise, like a morning without clouds, like the gleaming of the sun on new grass after rain. (NLT)
Exodus 18:21 But select from all the people some capable, honest men who fear God and hate bribes. Appoint them as leaders over groups of one thousand, one hundred, fifty, and ten. (NLT)
Proverbs 29:12 If a ruler listens to lies, all his officials become wicked. (NIV)
4 comments:
I never listen to the stations like NBC CBS ABC they are all the liberal media and do not tell us the truths that are going on in our country and the decay it is seeing. I listen to the Christian radio station were I find the truths reportedby the media. We need to let God rule our decision in the voting booth not what party. Look carefully at the record of the voter is it in line with God's truths? If we as a nation do not get out and vote conservative.... We will lose our rights of speech, religion, the way we educate our children, ( home schooling will be effected) etc. It is already happening. We have ignored what is going on and we are have been sleeping though all the laws being passed and we need to take back our USA or we will not have a USA. For look what already has been taken from us all because a very small minority is pushing so hard to get these ungodly laws passed. We need to push even harder and unite as God's army against the forces of evil. Please encourge your family, friends, etc. to vote and vote with God's truths in mind. Praise God.
Unfortunately, by wanting Godly leaders, that generally means that Christians want someone who will legislate morality. Whereas shouldn't the most important Godly quality to be to love? Since God is love? I personally think that Jesus would not want to be associated with either party. Many Christians think one must vote Republican because of two issues alone - abortion and gay rights. But there are many, many other issues that should also be considered. What about the fact that Democrats typically are more concerned with elderly health care, welfare and the environment that God himself created? I don't think there is any right answer, but think as Christians we must not be so close-minded as to think all Christians SHOULD vote Republican, SHOULD vote conservative...not when they may feel God leading them to vote the other way so individuals outside of those 2 issues are also being given due consideration.
Unfortunately, I feel there is so much corruption that there's no "good" godly choice. Money often "buys" an election. We are stuck with people who say the right things but when it comes down to it, they act the same way. They are affected by lobbyists, special interests, home state interests and massive waste to make deals with others. It's very discouraging. I will vote, but I don't see that much will change.
I read this post when you first published it, and it has bothered me ever since. I was trying to figure out where I read it yesterday and wa-la! Here it is. Unfortunately, what is happening is exactly what the bible said would happen. What many fail to realize is that our struggle is not against the politicians or the media, our struggle is against rulers, authorities, powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. (Ephesians 6:12). Ultimately we already know how this ends, we know who is victorious. I'm not sure standing up and telling the world that they are wrong is the solution. History tells us and is showing us by low voter turn out, by new laws that now make wrong seem right and right seem wrong, that even standing up with your voice being heard will not change it. I'm not saying sit back and take it. I'm saying get out there and feed the sheep, find the sheep, lead the sheep. Matthew 9:36-38. Find the ones being led astray by everything God is against. As for the rest... let them continue in their own destruction (Revelations 22:10-11).
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