What an election year!  Can we say this is epic?  Are we allowed to compare this to every other election year and actually admit the process has become base and degrading and unlike previous years?  One might argue that every year mudslinging takes place and candidates up the ante with negative campaigns and exaggerations of the truth and even outright lies, but this year seemed to have started earlier and gotten uglier much faster.

I have been witnessing people become polarized over “their” candidate and their political views.  People are angry, protesting candidates, and the lies, wow the lies are just every where.  The press cannot be trusted to be objective and talking heads and reporters takes sides and skew the political rhetoric to appeal their own views.  I am exhausted from the robo calls and television ads, the mailers and the divisiveness of our country.  So, how am I to vote?  I have been told by just about everyone on TV how and what I should do, I have seen and read articles by pastors, preachers, teachers, politicians, journalists, comedians that tell me who not to vote for and why and what will happen if I do.  So, once again I ask, How am I to vote?

I have broken it down to what I believe can be a way to clear out all the noise and get to heart of the issue.  But it will take effort on your part, do not read this if you just want someone to spoon feed you an answer. Don’t read further if you get offended easily.

1.   I will choose a candidate that will allow me to practice and proselytize my christian faith.  As a Christian ,it is not enough to just be allowed to attend church or a bible study, but I am commanded to go into all the world and preach the Gospel and make disciples of all peoples.  I am to love them and tell them about the saving and forgiving love of Christ by faith through grace and not forgetting repentance.  So I need to be free to teach biblical truth about marriage, the sanctity of life, all life, unborn, elderly, disabled, enslaved, and imprisoned.     That is the most important issue to me-a founding father constitutional right-freedom of religion.
2.   Although I have been told by teachers of the law that a man who is arrogant and brash cannot be allowed to preside over America, I wonder what they think of all the presidents who have served before these potential candidates?  We have learned that many  were foul mouthed, adulterous, liars, cheats, etc–they just did it behind closed doors until they were caught.  Am I to assume that if one doesn’t speak that way in public that somehow he or she is moral? truthful? honest? humble?  The past has shown us that what we have seen has not always been truth.  There was NO Camelot.   Politicians are by their very job skilled at speeches and telling people what they want to hear to get votes.  They use their tongues to spin tales using half truths and false promises, as WE LISTEN  ugh!    Do people really believe that these professional politicians who line their pockets with our hard earned taxed dollars–that’s right, their pay is OUR money–do not make deals with our enemies or keep the status quo so they can keep their jobs?   I sometimes believe a leader like Saul, who was Israel’s first king, was given to the people so they might repent and return to God.  He gave them what they demanded, He did this to show them their need for Him. Once again, I look for the  freedom of speech, religion, and the  press.
3.  You must be willing to learn.   This election has forced me to actually learn the constitution, the bill of rights and the amendments.  Because the press can no longer be trusted to keep the checks and balances I have had to get out of my comfort zone and actually see what our founding documents say.  I need to know what power “we the people” have.   Then I am able to see through the clutter.   I can see the twisting of the truth, the sound bites, the media seeking viewers to drive up commerical dollars and therefore profits.    I have learned to read what the candidate say on their pages, not just what they say in 4 second bites that get played out of context and warped to once again fit the opinions of those promoting their own ideology.   This drives me back to number one again: Freedom–freedom of the press so I can write, publish my own findings, freedom to fact check, freedom to see who gives money to these people and what they will want in return.  Freedom Freedom Freedom

You see when Jesus came in His first advent, He did not come to overthrow Rome and yet this is what the people wanted.  They wanted someone to ride in and fix the mess.  They were not concerned with their sin, they had their laws and sacrifices, they just had this issue with Rome ruling over them  If they had the right person to rule then they all could just keep on living their lives and be free from Roman oppression.  They didn’t want a heart change, just a leadership change.  When Jesus did not do as they thought he should they found a way to kill Him; interestingly enough, that was the plan all along.  Jesus was in on it too, He went to the cross on His own power, knowing His blood would even save those who were killing him, if they would only believe.  Many did, and the rest is history.  This is the one time in history that ONE MAN could impact the entire world.

So once again, How do I vote?  Well I  know that no one man or woman can fix this country. It belongs to the people and if the people are too lazy or busy or distracted to care about saving it then we get what we deserve.  If this offends you then thicken up your skin.  Most people are too consumed with their own lives to do the hard work of studying government, or law, man’s or Gods, we all have become slaves to pleasure and work in a vicious cycle.   No man or woman is supposed to “save” us, no amount of money or free programs will work, no economic plan will rectify a broken and sinful world, no climate control can stop the inevitable course of action of our planet to end in fire; God’s word tells us that this is the future.  God will come again, He will come to judge this time.     So as a person who is blessed to live in a free country at the moment, and have the privilege to vote, I will, but I will choose based on who will keep the freedoms our constitution was written to protect.   I do not want to lose my right to teach the bible, to tell my neighbor about Christ and not be thrown in jail, to express God’s desire and plan for one man and one woman in holy matrimony and not be in fear of being fined or jailed or forced to take a sensitivity course.   When it comes down to two people in November, I WILL vote, even if that person is arrogant, yep I will, because I have studied enough to know they all are arrogant, full of pride, have huge amounts of money given to them so that they will be swayed in one arena or another, they all will fall short, the system has been hijacked and we the people have allowed it.  They are sincere, they do want to help the country, although there plans are as different as the ocean is vast.  Look to who will keep you freedom to praise Christ, and in the event we lose that right, we will still not lose heart, for we know the One in charge.

So before you take what the media says at face value, before you hate your neighbor for voting for a person you don’t care for, ask yourself if you know the truth?  Have you even tried to find the truth?   Do you use God’s standard for truth or the cultures?  Have your read their biographies, their websites, or do you blindly trust those who are more than glad to keep you in the dark, silent and being led like sheep to the slaughter?   Voting should not be about a name you recognize, or how they look or sound, you should be informed and in this day and age you have no excuse.  Every candidate has their own information out there.   If you are more offended by someone saying something against a political candidate than you are offended by those who degrade God in heaven then you have a political idol.   If you believe one person can build America up or destroy America then you do not trust God.  After all it is God who puts kings in positions and He wields them as He will.

So Vote, vote informed, vote knowing that God will be placing a man or woman in charge and it will be we deserve.  We have a duty to our God, our family and our Country.  If we neglect any of these we will lose them.   So trust God, trust in His plan and believe  He can use any person to fulfill His Will;  No candidate has more power to rule than the Lord has allowed them to have.

I am off the soapbox, this was long and painful.  I hope you will get through this election year intact, full of grace and mercy and ready to pray for the leaders put in place.  God’s way is always for our good according to His riches in Glory.

God Speed

Your sister in Christ

Amy

Ponytail and Boots

Recently I returned home from one of my favorite places to visit, the Isle of Palms, or IOP, South Carolina. I have been fortunate to visit often since 1989, it is a home away from home. A place I walk with my dogs early in the morning as they run and play off leash. Because I have just finished a bible study on Hebrews this last visit was especially meaningful due to the instructors analogy of “drifting away” and the ocean. The second chapter of Hebrews teaches us “to hold on to what we have been taught, lest we drift away”. It is a clear teaching that we must live intentionally for Christ. We cannot simply float around and think we are okay. She gave a great illustration of a riptide pulling tugging you along and you not being aware of how far you have traveled down the beach. You do not even realize how far you have drifted until you make your way to shore and have to walk 200 yards back to your chair and cold drink! She went even further to give the riptide a name, the Devil; that prowling lion who is out to kill, steal and destroy us.
I have felt this very current many times while playing in the ocean. Sometimes the riptide is mild and other days it can literally pull you under water leaving you gasping for breath. When I was 3 years old I was pulled under the surf by a powerful undertow along the Oregon coast. My dad was franticly trying to find me as I rolled over and over in the current. My parents thought I would die or at least be terrified of the ocean after that day. By God’s grace and mercy my father was able to grab my tender foot and pull me to safety. I am so fortunate that he saved me and also that I have no memory of that day or a fear of water or the ocean. I only have their stories of the day I nearly died and was rescued.

Taking this thought even deeper I thought of the possibility of floating into harm’s way without even having a clue. There is an inlet between Isle of Palms and Sullivan’s Island called “Breech Inlet”. It has warning signs posted everywhere on huge white signs that warn people of the dangerous currents and riptides. No swimming is allowed and it warns people stay out of this inlet at all tides, high and low, but especially during the tidal shifts. It can be very deceptive at low tide. Seeing those exposed sandbars is enticing and it can be quite an adventure to explore underwater spaces during low tide. After all you can walk to the sandbar at low tide in ankle deep water, but without warning the tide shifts and suddenly you find you must swim in deep water fighting the destructive currents the entire way back. I know, I have been out there before, not actually in the inlet, but nearby and I have had to swim hard to get back.

Your christian walk must be an intentional walk. Jesus tells us to turn away from sin that so easily entangles us and to walk with our hand on the plow, not looking back. He sends the Holy Spirit to be our counselor and teacher to instruct us on the Way, His Way. It is a race and once we start we can only go one direction on the track or course. It can be slow like the tortoise or crazy like the hare, but we are on an endurance race no matter. Our destination is Jesus and along the way we are to tell as many as we can about this eternal and amazing prize, a man/God Christ Jesus, who takes away our sin and redeems our lives. It is an intentional trip, no looking back. Jesus even goes so far to tell us if we turn back we are not fit to enter the kingdom of God. Wow! Strong words. We cannot casually walk in and out of our faith when we need it. We cannot walk into church once in awhile and think we are just fine. The pastor of Hebrews tells his flock that many are in the habit of not meeting together, but they are not to fall into that trap. We encourage each other while together, to be alone is not safe, two are better than one, a strand of three is not easily broken. We will inevitably wake up hundreds of yards away from the truth if we do not pursue Christ with all our hearts, souls and minds. And do not forget while drifting away we could end up in a sudden and violent current that steals our life, family, livelihood or friends.

The writer of Hebrews implores us to remember what we have been taught, actively pursue Jesus, consider Jesus, stay in weekly gatherings with other believers at a church AND in small groups. The devil is the riptide and he does not slow down in his pursuit to steal, destroy and attempt to kill us. He is a ravenous lion seeking whom he can destroy. He comes when we are distracted, when he can deceive us, when we have drifted away from sound doctrine and believe tales of angels and false christs.

So walk in a manner worthy of your calling, look to Jesus, who saw the joy before him and endured death, even death on a cross and ignored the disgrace it brought Him. He is our example, He is our lifeboat when we do drift, He does and will rescue us when we cry out to Him. Know Him, Know the Truth, stay the course and above all remember the race. Imagine if a coach told you to come to practice when you could, work out if you felt like it or that training once a week on your own for an hour was sufficient to expect a victory in the game Friday night. Coaches have daily practice, off season training schedules, dietary requirements for optimal health and in addition to physical workouts, mental training for plays, positions, defensive and offensive strategies. An effective coach knows what is needed for victory and if he sees a team member not actively participating he will cut them. This is how I understand Christ’s words about not being fit for the kingdom. Jesus knows what we need for victory over our adversary and He coaches us to practice daily, learn the plays, memorize mental and physical muscle memory skills, be part of the team meetings and practices, (even in solo sports there are many components), and to know the playbook by heart. This is the walk of a Christian. Do not drift away, stay the course, for we run not for a crown that fades but for an eternal crown for His glory.
Have a blessed week and pursue Jesus diligently and remember His words the next time you are floating in the ocean.
God Bless, your sister in Christ,
Amy-
ponytail and boots