The penalty good men pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men.” ~ Plato
“Then pay to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s; and to God the things that are God’s” (Matt. 22:21 NASB). ~ Jesus
Christians are part of two kingdoms. We live in the world and are citizens of heaven (Phil. 3:20). As good citizens of the world, we engage in our world, earn a living, submit to our government, and pay taxes. As citizens of heaven, we submit to our Lord and serve as His ambassadors to a broken world.
Being a citizen of heaven doesn’t relieve us of our national duties, including our responsibility to vote. I believe our relationship with the Lord necessitates it.
Being a citizen of heaven doesn’t relieve us of our national duties, including our responsibility to #vote. #Election2022 Share on XThe early church didn’t have the privilege to vote. But Paul used his Roman citizenship to his advantage to protect the preaching of the gospel (Acts 22:22-29). He told those who were slaves to get free if they could. If the early church had had the privilege to vote to deliver their fellow believers from slavery, don’t you think they would have?
Personal Godliness Matters
Godliness makes a nation great, but sin is a disgrace to any people” (Pro. 14:34 NLT).
Private lifestyles affect public well-being. In the book of Judges, everyone did what was right in their own eyes. Removing moral guardrails led to national disaster and individual suffering. While sin spreads like a stomach virus, we must teach moral health habits. Yet many in our educational, political, and entertainment industries mock self-control and promote immorality and self-indulgence.
History shows that when people shun God and pursue sin, God allows them to reap the natural consequences of their choices. His judgment is to give them what they want which leads to deeper depravity, confusion, and hopelessness (Rom. 1:18-32).
Leave the Children Alone
But Jesus said, ‘Let the children alone, and do not hinder them from coming to Me; for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these’” (Matt. 19:14 NASB).
Our culture has gone after our children. Leaders affect how our children are valued and treated. They influence our laws, select judges, and direct the educational systems that directly impact them.
- Some encourage children to explore different gender identities.
- Some prestigious medical centers support gender affirming care (irreversible transgender surgeries) for youth—a lucrative process that necessitates multiple surgeries and lifelong hormone treatment. After being publicly exposed Vanderbilt put this on pause and Boston Children’s Hospital took down their promotional ad. Here’s another link on Vanderbilt.
- In some areas of our country more black babies are killed in the womb than are born.
Inspect the Fruit Before You Vote
Beware of false prophets who come disguised as harmless sheep but are really vicious wolves. You can identify them by their fruit, that is, by the way they act. Can you pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? A good tree produces good fruit, and a bad tree produces bad fruit. A good tree can’t produce bad fruit, and a bad tree can’t produce good fruit. So every tree that does not produce good fruit is chopped down and thrown into the fire. Yes, just as you can identify a tree by its fruit, so you can identify people by their actions” (Matt. 7:15-20 NLT).
Don’t be taken in by sweet sounding slogans. I hope you know by now that BLM (Black Lives Matters), which collected millions of dollars, wasn’t about helping black lives or George Floyd’s family. They hid their indecent agenda under a slogan all decent people would embrace. Heed Jesus’s words and look behind the slogan to see what they do.
Pray and Vote
I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them. Pray this way for kings and all who are in authority so that we can live peaceful and quiet lives marked by godliness and dignity” (1 Tim. 2:1-2 NLT).
Our leaders impact the quality of our lives. Look at history. Look at the areas in our nation that have the highest crime rates and most poverty and suffering. Note their leaders and the policies they promote.
May God help us know and value truth in every area, live righteously, honor Him, and respect one another. Tuesday, November 8 is election day. Please pray, ponder, and vote. Your participation matters.
Elections belong to the people. It’s their decision. If they decide to turn their back on the fire and burn their behinds, then they will just have to sit on their blisters.” ~ Abraham Lincoln
Worse, our apathy can burn our children.
The penalty good men pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men. ~ Plato Tuesday, Nov. 8 is election day. Please #pray, ponder, and #vote. Your participation matters. Share on XClick here to comment.
Blessings,
Resources
North Carolina Family Voter Guide
Photo by Element5 Digital on Unsplash
Sometimes I link with these great sites:
#InspireMeMonday, #InstaEncouraements, #TellHisStory and here , #Let’sHaveCoffee, #Recharge Wednesday, #Grace&Truth,
Debbie, thank you for this powerful posts, especially the points you made about the precious children in our country. We voted, and we’re praying.
Thank you, Jeannie for voting and praying. Now we leave the results with God and trust Him to direct our steps in this new age.
This is such a needed post. Too many people sit home on election day for whatever reason, but these decisions to not get involved do make a difference. I made sure I got my absentee ballot in as soon as possible to ensure it got back to the states in time. We are responsible for the conditions in our country.
Barbara, it heartens me to hear that even while you’re living away you’re still very much engaged with your home area.
Duty is a lost virtue too often today. Thanks, Debbie, for reminding us of our duty to society, our families, ourselves. God bless!
God bless you too, Nancy!
Thank you, Debbie! It is so important to be aware of politics and those running – their agendas! I’m praying that our local elections, state, and federal elections will be won on the side of those who care for God, country and family!!!!!
Amen! Thank you, Marilyn.
This is excellent. Great truth—especially the concept of God leaving a nation to consequences for sin. Abraham Lincoln quote: funny but tragic.
Dawn, I liked that quote and found it to be both funny and tragic too.
Praying and voting! God’s people must stand up against the world’s evil! Thank you Debbie for this reminder.
Thank you, Kim, for praying and voting!
Thank you for this beautiful encouragement, Debbie. I would like to share this on my Blog too if you are okay with it. Might get you some more followers!
Joan
Thanks, Joan! I’m always honored when someone wants to connect their readers to my writing.
You set this out beautifully. I have been researching candidates like never before and repenting for not having been diligent enough in years past. Those commercials are very misleading and in some cases out and out lies. I know this about one candidate here and its amazing how people are willing to out and out lie if it furthers their agenda. This is such an important election and I will be sharing your post. Thank you Debbie.
Ann, it is important. May God grant us wisdom and mercy! Thanks for doing your part.
Debbie, we must not only do our research to know the candidates, but also the ballot questions. All of it is so important. May we all be wise and ask the Lord to guide us as we go to cast our vote.
You’re right, Joanne. How many times have I gone in and had propositions I didn’t understand.
Well said Ms. Debbie. While I pray daily for our nation, I pray extra hard for each American to return to the Christian values and high morals that our nation was founded upon. I believe it must start with the individual. As righteousness spreads through family community, region, state, nation, and world, we will be honoring both our nation and our home. As Ambassadors for Christ, far too many so-called Christians today do not represent Christ by the way we conduct ourselves in this world we are but sojourning through. In the same way, many politicians fail to represent they people they claim they want to represent. I’m not casting stones here, but if the Judeo-Christian church in America would get our act together and vote for Bible-believing, biblical-living representatives, we could be a voting bloc that could never be overcome.
I agree with you. Our individual choices and our families impact our nation. Thank you for your faithful prayers for our nation and the church!
Thank you Debbie. I appreciated your points. Praying and voting.
Thank you, Sylvia!
This nation of ours definitely needs godly, praying voters! I think it’s part of loving our neighbors.
Donna, I like that. It is loving our neighbor!
Good, wise words, Debbie. You’re right. Voting is one solid way we in America can have influence on public policy and our government. But, we need to get out and do it. It’s easy to feel like voting is pointless with the fraud and the messages the world espouses. But, since God has given us the privilege of voting, we should use it for good in His eyes.
Amen! Thank you, Jeanne.
THIS was the most powerful post I have read in a while. Good on you that you posted it in a link up too. More people need to hear the truth without being afraid. Especially the truth about our children. We must vote. It is our right and our duty as Americans .
I subscribed to your blog and I am going to look at your books too. I also live in North Carolina.
Keep the Faith,
Marie
Thank you, Marie! Your words of encouragement mean a lot!
Debbie,
Amen! To do nothing (not vote) is to condone the nosedive our nation has been taking spiritually, morally, economically, and poticically. It is a travesty what is happening to our children in the name of “inclusiveness.” I know I shouldn’t worry, because God has everything under control, but I do wonder if this election will be allowed to take place without some form of sabotage?? Regardless, I’ll be there to vote!
Blessings,
Bev xx
Bravo, Bev! May all who love the Lord pray and vote. May God grant our nation repentance and restoration.
Amen, Debbie! I love the supportive Scripture and quotes. I had never heard the one from Lincoln. I’d like to shout this post from the rooftops.
Thank you, Annie! Lord, have mercy on us!
Exactly, thank you so much for sharing this. This is such an important article. My heart is saddened for the children, heartbroken actually. It’s nuts down here, to say the least, and boy do I pray fervently for eyes to be open and hearts to be softened and most of all the babies, and children.
Visiting today from G&T
Amen, Paula. We need to fulfill our part and pray for God’s mercy.
Since I was not born here, I take voting as a great privilege. Thanks
Yvonne, I’ve heard others say the same thing. I hope we wake up before we lose that privilege.
Now, more than ever, we need to take our civic duties seriously. We need to consult outside (from other countries) news sources because so m any sources here are tainted and slanted in what they say or report. We have forgotten to be wise as serpents and innocent as doves.
Anita, I like your admonition to be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. Thank you for that tip of checking outside news sources. How sad we can’t trust what our news presents.