Recently, my sister shared with me about the Franklin Graham prayer rally in Rhode Island that she and her husband were able to attend.
She spoke to me about how Graham had encouraged evangelical Christians in America to vote in the upcoming election . . . because so much is at stake. He also encouraged Christians to be active in their local communities, local school boards, local politics--because the voice of one Christian standing for truth can make a difference through the grace of God--William Wilberforce is an excellent example of that principle.
Many times as Christians we are tempted to shrink back, to cower under the oppressive liberal policies that are being enacted in our country. We don't want to step out and speak for fear that we will be ridiculed and ostracized. But the Bible speaks to us about that (Mark 8:38)--and we must put on the full armor of God in holy boldness and continue to speak the truth, even in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation--no matter how difficult--and it is difficult.
Other times as believers, we are just too comfortable. Persecution hasn't really hit us yet--and we are enjoying our cozy-middle-class-lifestyle as we watch the evening news and bemoan liberal policies from our plush couches in our cozy pajamas. But persecution will come. It is already coming. And if we don't begin to take that fact seriously and fall to our knees, I fear that many will be unable to process the changes that take place and crumble when they come.
And then there is yet another stream of thought that I have encountered. That to vote for Donald Trump in the coming election would be morally unconscionable. And you and I must both vote our conscience. But for these reasons (among many others), I intend to vote for Donald Trump. I am praying that many other believers will choose to do the same and that is why I share these thoughts with you:
I am voting for Donald Trump . . .
To slow the tide of evil
The evil ushered in under a Clinton presidency is beyond comprehension. From LGBT issues and hate-crime laws, to transgender propaganda and legislation to pro-abortion measures, the list goes on and on. To vote for Trump may slow this tide and preserve something of the dignity and decency that this country has left.
For my children's sake
Our children and grandchildren are almost certainly facing a future of repression and persecution if they claim the name of Christ. If the country continues in the direction that it has taken under President Obama, the downward slope can only continue. Do we care about the future of our loved ones? If we do, now is the time to stand while we still can.
To protect religious liberty
The recent court cases such as this one, are an indication of where this country is headed and has already arrived. More and more Christians will be affected by these decisions if this trend continues. We have the opportunity to preserve our religious liberties, to freely speak the Gospel, to practice Christianity, to homeschool our children, and the list goes on. A presidency under Trump would most definitely only help the cause of Christians and allow the Gospel to continue to freely go forward.
To protect and to save the unborn
I will just briefly touch on this. We have murdered millions of children in the United States, and Hillary Clinton would like to continue this trend in wider, more far-reaching ways. How can we, by not casting our vote for Trump, encourage such unimaginable evil to continue? We have to search our hearts in this.
When I consider these things, I cannot in good conscience not cast my vote for Donald Trump. We all know that voting for a write-in candidate or not voting at all will only propel the opposition forward. By not voting for Trump we are essentially allowing evil to triumph in such multitudinous ways and with such devastating effects, that I must doubt the sanity of some believers, not their conscience. And so I urge you to consider these things--for your own sake, for your children's sake, for the country's sake and finally for the the sake of the Lord who has still given us tongues to speak and the ability to cast our vote for someone who will not destroy the future of this country irreparably and bring such a flood of ungodliness and shame that cannot be fully imagined. So pray. And vote. And trust that the Lord will honor the prayers of His people.
This article written by Wayne Grudem was excellent and helped me to direct my thoughts on this subject. Please read it and consider his thoughts.
You might find me on these link-ups:
Strangers and Pilgrims on Earth, Inspire Me Monday, Literacy Musing Mondays, The Modest Mom, What Joy is Mine, A Mama's Story, Mom's the Word, Rich Faith Rising, Time Warp Wife, Cornerstone Confessions, Mom's Morning Coffee, Raising Homemakers, Classical Homemaking, A Wise Woman Builds Her Home, Woman to Woman Ministries, Whole-Hearted Home, Testimony Tuesday, Tell His Story, Women With Intention Wednesdays, Messy Marriage, Graced Simplicity, Children Are A Blessing, Imparting Grace, Thought Provoking Thursday, Soul Survival, Good Morning Mondays, The Weekend Brew, Counting My Blessings, The HomeAcre Hop, Mommy Moments Link Up, Grace and Truth Linkup, Faith Filled Friday, Tell It To Me Tuesdays, SHINE Blog Hop, A Little R&R Wednesdays. TGI Saturdays Blog Hop, RaRaLinkup, Word of God Speak, Booknificent Thursday, Living Proverbs 31, Sharing His Beauty Blog Linkup, Coffee For Your Heart Weekly LinkUp
I struggled long and hard on how to vote. I finally realized just what you said. Hillary is pure evil, and our country will no longer have a smidgen of Christianity left (in government) if she's elected. As a whole, the church has been silent too long!! We must rise up and use our voice for Christ!
ReplyDeleteThank you.
LivingProverbs31
Thank you for your thoughts! I agree; we must pray, speak, and vote--it is so important, and there is so much at stake here.
DeleteBlessings to you in Christ Jesus.
AMEN!! Very well said Bekki. I couldn't agree more.
ReplyDeleteI have been the most perplexed and disturbed by the trend of Christians today regardinmg this election and feel that if they succeed at turning the tide, will single handedly be responsible for ushering in four more years of evil, if I may be so bold.
Thank you so much for speaking out in a humble, but convicting way. It needed to be said, and I am so glad you did.
Thank you for ALWAYS standing for the cause of Christ.
Blessings to you and your sweet family.
Yes, Karen--I have been perplexed as well! I don't think that we as Christians fully understand the implications of a Clinton Presidency--the Supreme Court appointments alone are enough to make one shudder. And even though our times are in the hands of the Lord, we have an opportunity to place someone in office who is not the "ideal" candidate, but who will at least allow Christians to continue to live out their faith and to preach the Gospel.
DeleteBlessings to you also, Karen--I miss you and love you dearly in Christ!
I'm visiting from Literary Musing Mondays. I agree. There is no such thing as a perfect candidate. Trump would not have been my first choice among all those Republicans in the running at first, but he's heaps better than Hillary.
ReplyDeleteYes; agreed!! :-)
DeleteBeing Australian with a very different political system, American elections have always perplexed me. While I respect your views I feel that as with many things in this election, things are being over simplified. Hillary is not "pure evil" as one comment stated. She is a creation of God and loved by Him just as you are. Also I feel that one should not only look to a governments ideology to sure up the Christian Foundation for a country. That comes from the people themselves. Their willingness to stand up for what is right, to have compassion and pray for the unborn child, drug addict or homosexual. Just like moonshine, these ungodly practises will still exist and even thrive under a conservative government. I would even go as far to argue that under times of persecution the Church will be rallied to rise up and take their place in prayer for these situations. As a foreigner looking out side in, most of Trumps motivations seem to be self serving. After all he is a ruthless businessman. I don't see any fruit in his life to suggest that he is a born again Christian and therefore feel that he can change his stance on any platform to suit his needs at the time. Anyway I want to also point out that while you must ultimately vote for who you feel is right in the end our leaders are allowed to rule by the will of God and we have no need to fear a government that may rule contrary to our beliefs.
ReplyDeleteTherese, I'm not sure if you fully read/understood the article from your thoughts here--I would also add that the Grudem article that I referenced at the conclusion of my post was integral in really understanding my position, so I would encourage you to read that as well!
DeleteI'll just address a couple of things, here. Indeed, Hillary Clinton is a creation of God and loved by Him, just as Donald Trump is--just as you and I are. That issue was never in question. I will say that I did find it a little ironic that you referred to Hillary Clinton as "a creation of God and loved by Him," but Donald Trump as a "ruthless businessman." It seems as though you may already be coming at this issue with a double standard--and that is why it is so important for you and for me to search our hearts . . .
If you had read my article or Wayne Grudem's, you would see that neither I nor Grudem believe Trump to be a born again Christian. Perhaps this is where some of the confusion lies. I merely believe that in the context of a secular society under a secular government, Trump is the best viable candidate to vote for who will protect the basic religious liberties of evangelical Christians and continue to allow believers to share the Gospel and to express the beliefs that they hold without being charged with a hate-crime, losing their job, etc. It is true that Trump may change his stance on these or on any other issues--that may be said of any human being.
You are very right in expressing the view that under persecution the Church usually becomes stronger and closer to Christ--but never in the Word of God are we told to seek persecution--in fact, the opposite is true (Jeremiah 29:7).
I pray that you might consider these things, Therese, and read both articles again for clarity. Grace and love to you through our Lord.
Thanks for this article, Rebekah! I appreciate your heart on this issue. As a reader for the past year or two, I have felt for some time that you are one of the only people in the blogosphere who truly gets the gravity of the long-term situation that faces Christians in this country (and the entire Western world) if we continue down the road that we (as a nation) have chosen. While I support Christians who choose to vote third-party (and we've considered it ourselves), I do also know the potentialities of a Clinton presidency. And yes, she is sheer evil, and a presidency by her would be disastrous. Thanks again for this post.
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome, Diana! Your words and your encouragement mean so much to me. I agree completely--Trump is definitely not the ideal candidate, but as you said, a Clinton Presidency would truly be disastrous.
DeleteLove and blessings to you in Christ, Diana. <3
Amen! A beautifully written post! (visiting from #RaRaLinkup)
ReplyDeleteThank you, Laura; blessings to you! :-)
DeleteI commend you for speaking this lol because a lot of people won't! I'm not American (Canadian but I'm a US permanent resident) but if I was, I would vote for Trump exactly for the reasons you stated above- he's the lesser of two evils. In Canada we see a very different view of the US than what's shown on your news. It's actually really interesting to see the juxtaposition of the two countries being side by side but truthfully, Hillary is going to bring the same corruption and evil into the US that many of the former Presidents did. America is pushing God out and it's going to be in big trouble if they do. Considering we're neighbours, I really hope this election isn't the bomb it seems its going to be but WOW what a tense race!
ReplyDeleteLeah, thank you for adding those thoughts and for your encouragement--the Lord bless you!
DeleteYou make some really good points here.
ReplyDeleteThe liberal media is making its favorite known and downplaying their opponent vehemently, as you know. Behind the scenes, in the unseen-by-human-eyes places, there is a spiritual power struggle going on. While I plan to vote, my little voice at the voter's box is minuscule in comparison to the voice I have when I'm on my knees talking to the One who made it all. This is the most important position we can take as Christians, and I hope that the church is taking seriously its responsibility to pray about all this so that we may live in peace. 1 Timothy 2:1-4 Without God's help we are sunk; we need Him to lift us up.
Yes; I strongly agree, Ruth! Thank you for your thoughts and discernment. The Lord bless you.
DeleteSo great to see this thought process taking place in any election, and I commend your courage for sharing, especially in this volatile culture where speech and opinion are stifled...and well written:) I'd love for you to add Fresh Market Friday link-up to the places you share also. It's all about sharing those things we are passionate and intentional about in our life through our writing.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your encouragement Crystal; it means a great deal--I would love to join Fresh Market Friday! Blessings in Christ to you. :-)
DeleteHi, I'm stopping over from Women With Intention Wednesdays. I did no support Trump in the primaries, but like you, I feel like I have no choice but to vote for him for the same reasons you have listed above. Our nation is in great distress no matter who wins in November 2016. We must be intentionally on our knees in prayer for our country.
ReplyDeleteYes; I agree strongly!
DeleteRebekah, I love how you share your heart in your writing and have been blessed many times by your posts. I enjoy reading your blog and will continue to do so in the future. But, with all love and humility as a sister in Christ, I'm afraid I must disagree here. I too have wrestled with the decision of who to vote for, knowing full well the horrible wickedness debauchery Mrs. Clinton would champion as president. But unfortunately, Mr. Trump also shares the basic worldview as the Clintons. God has given us character qualities for leaders, namely fear of God, men of truth and hatred of covetousness (Exodus 18:21). Mr. Trump has consistently proven himself not to fear the Lord, be a truthful man or hate covetousness. Moreover the rejection of God's word, refusal to believe in Christ, and rebellion against His design for marriage and the family are sins both Clinton and Trump share. Trump may indeed be the less of two evils, but is this not situational ethics? Would it be alright to vote for Clinton if we had to chose between her and Hitler? I understand my brothers and sisters who are voting for Trump to stop Clinton, but if we accept this reasoning, where does it end? How long will we continue to support candidates who reject our Lord and His word, just so a greater evil doesn't win? I fully realize this is a difficult election for every believer - whether we choose to vote Republican, third party or to write-in and we must how we'd want to give account to our Lord at His Judgement Seat. But dear sisters in Christ, please search and lean only on the word of God as we face these perilous times in our country.
ReplyDeleteVery well said!
DeleteKenzi, I think that is important to realize (and this is really the "crux" of the matter and where some of the confusion lies) that we are not voting for a religious leader within the church, we are voting in the context of a secular society and choosing between secular leaders. Donald Trump is not campaigning for a position in the church--he is campaigning as President of the United States--a secular establishment.
DeleteGo back to the Exodus passage that you referenced Kenzi, and look at it in context--that is really, really important! That passage is discussing the qualifications of rulers over the people of Israel--God's chosen people--within the context of a Theocracy. You are mistakenly using this passage out of context. We are not looking to establish a kingdom of heaven on earth--that is what is anti-biblical, to be very blunt, because then our eyes are not on a heavenly kingdom.
And so our judgement of Trump should not be a judgement of character so much as a judgement of whoever will give us as believers the most freedom to preach the Gospel and to live quiet and peaceable lives . . . We don't judge those outside the church, but rather those inside.
Would it be preferable to have a leader with Biblical character--of course. But we don't expect it in a secular society and within the context of a secular government. And so, for the reasons that I expressed (and Grudem's article actually goes more into detail and is really excellent) I believe that a Trump presidency would be a better one for believers than a Clinton one would.
One other issue--that of choosing the lesser of two evils--Corrie Ten Boom and her family are an excellent example of this principle. She and her family lied to the German government and housed (protected) Jews from slaughter and death. At times, we are called to choose the lesser of two evils to protect what is important and to remain true to our Heavenly Father.
And I appreciate your thoughts, Kenzi, and your heart to honor the Lord . . . grace and love to you . . .
To be honest, I'm no fan of Donald Trump, BUT when compared with Hillary Clinton, he's a saint, which is why he's got my vote.
ReplyDeleteI understand that completely, Shelly! :-)
DeleteGreat post - I do fear for this country and the path of destruction that has been set in high gear. Having two kids in the military it scares me to think of them serving under someone as evil as Hillary. Trump can help get this country back on track but the american people need to understand that it's going to take more than Trump - our government is corrupt and the entire house needs cleaning too. I have a good feeling about this election have from the beginning - reminds me of Reagan's first election.. It's time for American to Rise and Be GREAT Again - restore our roots and remember those who have died to protect our freedoms.
ReplyDeleteCarole @ Garden Up Green
Carole, thank you for adding those thoughts! Indeed, it is a frightening prospect to think of Hillary Clinton in that role--we truly need to be on our knees--
DeleteMuch grace and love to you, Carole--the Lord bless and protect your sons as they serve our country.
Very good article, I'll vote for Trump so Hillary will lose!
ReplyDeleteThat said, I wanted to invite you to join us on the Homesteader hop!
http://www.homesteadingwithheart.com/?cat=248
I would love to join the Homesteader Hop, Jamie; thank you for inviting me!
DeleteHave a blessed weekend :-).
This is my first time to your blog -- and a very pleasant one.
ReplyDeleteI, too, scratch my head at Christians who cannot see outside the "religious" box. You are absolutely correct -- we are NOT voting for a pastor -- we should already one. I also totally agree with you in the fact that a Trump presidency is not a cure all to anything. However, it is STAYING THE TIDE a little longer. The US kicked GOD out of our country a LONG time ago -- prayer in school, God out of our history books (actually CORRECT and ACCURATE history out of our history books), etc. and where has it gotten us? OUr society is a mess. A God-less mess who have no respect for anything -- not for authority, not for our flag/country, not for themselves. It's high time that Christians AWAKE OUT OF SLEEP and do SOMETHING. And I'm sorry but unless you have lived under a Clinton administration (we had her as our senator for some very long years) -- you have NO IDEA what evil she is capable of. Donald Trump isn't perfect -- neither am I -- but he WILL at least try to get major parts of this broken down government -- back on a road to recovery. Thank you for your very well thought out article! Blessings to you and your family .....D
Dee, yes; agreed! Thank you so much for your thoughts--what you said is so true--"It's high time that Christians AWAKE OUT OF SLEEP and do SOMETHING." I feel like we as Christians are both comfortable (persecution hasn't hit us strongly yet) and afraid at the same time because of the pressure to conform. You are right- we need to awake while we still have a voice--I pray that we as believers will realize this! Thank you for stopping by and adding your thoughts. Blessings to you, Dee.
DeleteAmen! - What a wonderful post! I found your lovely blog on the Homesteader Hop & I was already following you on google+ but now I am also following you on facebook.
ReplyDeleteThanks
Angie
PS - I also wanted to invite you to "You're the STAR" blog hop: http://www.godsgrowinggarden.com/2016/09/youre-star-week1-garden-september-2016.html
Thank you for that encouragement, Angie--and I would love to join the blog hop! Blessing in Christ to you--:-)
DeleteThank you Rebekah for being willing to put your political thoughts out there. I have seen many believers take a firm moral stance on politicians without taking into account the moral repercussions of that stance. We are blessed to live in a nation where votes matter and officials are elected. Unfortunately, politics are politics and the scenario might not always be ideal. When talking about politics recently, a friend said, "You know, I've always wanted a Porsche. That doesn't mean I get one. Instead, I choose a car out of the ones I can afford." We have to work with what we have, and as you said, make the decisions that we feel will be the better of the options for the nation and our children.
ReplyDeleteBe ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves. - Matthew 1016
ReplyDeleteSo this Daniel enjoyed success in the reign of Darius and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian (extremely pagan kings). - Daniel 6:28
“The master commended the dishonest manager because he had acted shrewdly. For the people of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own kind than are the people of the light. -Luke 16:8
*
To those Christians who can’t stomach the republican nominee: Who do you want appointing Supreme Court jurists which will affect generations to come? That one issue (and there are several) should prompt believers to put away their delicate conscience and wake up to the crisis at hand and vote - accordingly!
Albeit, I do second many of their concerns and fully understand the dilemma. For the problems in America today are systemic, and no rhetoric spouting politician or so called outsider will cure the disease with a bunch of promises - many of which will assuredly be broken once in power.
So let us not be deluded either way, and God help us to surf this twisting turning wave while we learn what this actually means > 2 Chronicles 7:14.
We are definetly in trying times. Trump does not seem to be the best fit for Christian voters but as they say, a vote not exercised is a vote for Hillary. And who knows, God has turned people around before, just look at Paul. Maybe God's about to show us what He can do with Donald.
ReplyDelete