Grace Baptist Church Decatur, IL

 

 

 

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WOULD GOD VOTE FOR YOU?

EZEKIEL 22:30

 

I believe that if the pilgrims/puritans/separatists of the 17th century had to choose between their England and our America they would have stayed put!  Might the day come when we have to find a new world?

 

What are we gonna do in America?

The problem with that question is the little word, ‘we.’

What is God gonna do with us?!

 

Do you vote at all if there’s no one good on the ballot?

Should you vote for a good person who has no chance of winning?  God is watching!  We need for Him to smile on us.

Straight ticket people:  Can you in good conscience pull a lever for someone who rides the fence and is simply the ‘lesser of 2 evils’?

Principle over pocketbook

Dow Jones instead of Paula Jones

 

"When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice, but when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn." Prov. 29:2

 

Judgment begins in the house of God!

2 Chron. 7:14 – if my people…

 

Use our voter guide and take God with you into the voting booth.

 

"My vote won't make a difference!"

        God is watching.  He wants to see where you stand.

 

We were nothing and even less than nothing before God found us and changed our lives!

Isaiah 40:17–“All nations before him are as nothing; and they are counted to him less than nothing, and vanity.”

 

1 Corinthians 1:26-29–“For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: 27But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; 28And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: 29That no flesh should glory in his presence.”

 

The Word of God reveals to us that God is constantly seeking for men, women, and young people who will give themselves totally to Him!

 

We should choose candidates based on God’s values. If we don’t elect leaders that reflect God’s values in their lives, then we are in jeopardy of bringing further reproach on our land. Proverbs 14:34–“Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people.”

 

Imagine if you will, God entering a polling booth, but rather than state or congressional candidates, He finds your name as a candidate. What you are running for is that person that Ezekiel is talking about here.

            Someone to make up the hedge.

            Someone to stand in the gap.

 

The question is, would God vote for you?

 

While God may not be casting a ballot, He is nevertheless looking for representatives.

 

He is looking for those who will reflect His values, represent His philosophy, take the action necessary to carry out His will, and meet the conditions for an outpouring of His presence.

 

The real power to change the world isn’t in the hands of the politicians; it rests with the people of God. It rests with those who have experienced the life-transforming message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

 

God has a master plan that goes far beyond our limited comprehension.

            1.         He wants to save sinners.

            2.         He wants to revive His Church.

 

2 Chronicles 16:9–“For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him.”

 

Let’s check our record on some key issues that are in the forefront of God’s platform for our lives!

 

I.         THE WAR ON EVIL. (Ephesians 6:10-18)

            The war on terror in this world is in the forefront this election year.

However, there is a related war and a much greater war that is raging and that has been going on since the garden of Eden. That is, the spiritual battle against Satan and his forces.

 

As God looks at our war on evil, would He say that we are waging an effective war against the darkness in this world?

            A.        Are We Strong In The Lord And In The Power Of His Might?

 

            B.         Are We Armed With The Whole Armor Of God?

                        1.         Truth. (Belt)

                        2.         Righteousness. (Breastplate)

                        3.         Preparation of the Gospel of Peace. (Shoes)

                        4.         Faith. (Shield)

                        5.         Salvation. (Helmet)

                        6.         The Word of God. (Sword)

 

            C.        Are We Using The Divine Weapons Of Prayer And Scripture To Wage War Against The Enemy Of The Souls Of Men?

 

How about morality?  Will we focus only on the moral ills in America but not in our own lives?

  

II.       HOMELAND SECURITY.

Would God say that we have set up the necessary defenses in our life to prevent the devil from intruding on our home turf?

1 Peter 5:8-9–“Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: 9Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.”

            A.        Are We Actively Screening What Comes Into Our Home Via The Various Communication Outlets? (television, radio, internet, video games, books, magazines, etc.)

Just as the terrorists are actively looking for any soft spot in our homeland defenses, so Satan and his cohorts are looking for soft spots in our defenses.

 

            B.        Are We Guarding Our Close Friendships?

1 Corinthians 15:33–“Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners. 34Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God: I speak this to your shame.”

 

            C.        Would God Say That We Are Keeping A Lookout For How The World, The Flesh, And The Devil May Subtly Influence Our Families?

1 Thessalonians 5:21-23–“Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. 22Abstain from all appearance of evil. 23And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

 

            THE WAR ON EVIL, HOMELAND SECURITY. . .

III.      HEALTH CARE.

Would God say that we are faithfully attending to our spiritual health and to the spiritual health of others?

            A.        Are We Growing And Maturing Spiritually As We Should?

2 Peter 3:18–“But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.”

 

                        Too many Christians are spiritually malnourished!

                                    Some are malnourished because they have no spiritual food to feed on.

                                    Some are malnourished because they refuse the spiritual food given them.

                         

            B.        Are We Involved In Spiritual Exercise?

1 Timothy 4:7-8–“. . .exercise thyself rather unto godliness. 8For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come.”

 

Too many Christians are ‘Spiritual Couch Potatoes!’

 

Faithful Church attendance, fellowship, discipleship, faithful devotions in the Bible and prayer, witnessing–All of these are Spiritual exercises we need to be involved in!

            

            C.         Are We Involved In Guarding The Spiritual Health Of Others?

 

Hebrews 10:24–“And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:”

  

   THE WAR ON EVIL, HOMELAND SECURITY, HEALTH CARE. . .

IV.      EMPLOYMENT.

Ephesians 4:1-3–“I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called...

 

            A.        Would God Say That We Are Actively Employed In His Service?

I can tell you that the present unemployment rate among Christians is pathetic and it is totally unacceptable with God!

                The only acceptable employment rate in God’s service is 100%!

 

We have too many Christians today who just want to live off of the benefits provided by those who are employed.

 

            B.        Would God Say That We Are Seeking Opportunities To Employ Ourselves In His Service By Serving Others And Reaching Others With His Love?

Matthew 28:19-20–“Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.”

  

THE WAR ON EVIL, HOMELAND SECURITY, HEALTH CARE, EMPLOYMENT ...

V.        ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. (Luke 12:34-48)

Would God say that we are making the best use of our God-given gifts, abilities, and resources to further His kingdom?

             1.         Everything that we have, we have because God has allowed us to have it!

             2.         All that we have belongs to God, not us!

             3.         We are to use all that God has given to us for His honor and His glory!

             4.         Each of us are stewards who have been given differing amounts from God!

             5.         Every one of us will give an account one day of our personal stewardship to God!

 

1 Corinthians 4:1–2–“Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God. 2Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.”

 

1 Peter 4:10-11–“As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. 11If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

 

VI.      JUDICIAL RESTRAINT. (Matthew 15:1-9)

Do we seek to understand God’s laws with an eagerness to apply them and obey them or do we tend to alter them to fit our own preferences, desires, and behaviors.

 

In this country we are seeing a proliferation of judges who are legislating from the bench rather than interpreting our constitution and applying the laws of this land as they have been since this country was founded.

 

But listen, we are also seeing God’s people doing that which is right in their own eyes ignoring the clear teachings of the Word of God!

 

Luke 6:46–“And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?

 

So where do you stand on these issues that are important to God?

 

Are you REALLY on the right side of these issues or is your talk just a bunch of rhetoric.

 

How about if God were in the ballot box to vote as to whether you are going to heaven or going to hell, which do you think it would be? Well, I can tell you exactly what it would be.

If you don’t have Jesus as your Saviour, the Bible says you are condemned.

 

John 3:18–“He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.”

 

1 John 5:11-12–“And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.”

 

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