The Election
"The fear of man bringeth a snare: but whoso putteth his trust in the Lord shall be safe." -Pro 29:25 (KJV)
Have you decided how you will vote in the presidential election? I hope that, whether you have or have not decided, you will think carefully about how you will vote after you have read what I have to say today.
I heard an important word at this year's UMVIM rally. The basic point was that we talk a lot, on both sides of the political aisle, about how bad things will be if the election doesn't go as we want. Some say, "Things will be really bad if Bush stays in office." Others say, "Things will really go south if Kerry is elected." The point continued is that this is fear of man. Each side acts out of fear of one man or another. Is not God in control? Romans 13:1 tells us that "there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God." Since God is in control of the authority over us, we need not fear, no matter what the outcome of the election.
Instead, what we should do is this: Prayerfully consider the candidates. Choose as your conscience dictates. Don't base your decision on fear: don't reject a third party candidate, for example, out of fear that doing so would steal votes from 'the lesser of two evils'. Having made your choice, ask God fervently to multiply your vote, that the man best qualified to lead the country, the man whose heart is right for the office, will be elected. Finally, pray for the electors: your vote has no bearing on the election of the American President, unless you happen to be a member of the electoral college. In this year's election, the results of a vote of 538 persons (source) will decide who becomes the President of the United States, in earthly terms. And no matter who wins, God protects His children. It is up to us to behave as His children.
To help you make an informed decision, here are the candidates whose websites I have found (in alphabetical order), along with a tool for making a selection:
Michael Badnarik (Libertarian)
George W. Bush (R)
David Cobb (Green)
John Kerry (D)
Michael Peroutka (Constitutional)
Others
Find your ideal candidate
Have you decided how you will vote in the presidential election? I hope that, whether you have or have not decided, you will think carefully about how you will vote after you have read what I have to say today.
I heard an important word at this year's UMVIM rally. The basic point was that we talk a lot, on both sides of the political aisle, about how bad things will be if the election doesn't go as we want. Some say, "Things will be really bad if Bush stays in office." Others say, "Things will really go south if Kerry is elected." The point continued is that this is fear of man. Each side acts out of fear of one man or another. Is not God in control? Romans 13:1 tells us that "there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God." Since God is in control of the authority over us, we need not fear, no matter what the outcome of the election.
Instead, what we should do is this: Prayerfully consider the candidates. Choose as your conscience dictates. Don't base your decision on fear: don't reject a third party candidate, for example, out of fear that doing so would steal votes from 'the lesser of two evils'. Having made your choice, ask God fervently to multiply your vote, that the man best qualified to lead the country, the man whose heart is right for the office, will be elected. Finally, pray for the electors: your vote has no bearing on the election of the American President, unless you happen to be a member of the electoral college. In this year's election, the results of a vote of 538 persons (source) will decide who becomes the President of the United States, in earthly terms. And no matter who wins, God protects His children. It is up to us to behave as His children.
To help you make an informed decision, here are the candidates whose websites I have found (in alphabetical order), along with a tool for making a selection:
Michael Badnarik (Libertarian)
George W. Bush (R)
David Cobb (Green)
John Kerry (D)
Michael Peroutka (Constitutional)
Others
Find your ideal candidate