XII. Election Thoughts

Saw this at http://www.str8heartphil.blogspot.com/ It is something to think about while you are at the polls.

Both presidential candidates have proclaimed this year’s Presidential Election as a time of change! As Christians we need to participate in this atmosphere of change and vote for candidates that agree with what we believe is right, with what the Bible says, and what our Lord God Almighty says is right. Let’s look what God has to say about four issues of this election in which we can choose to change America.

1. Abortion. Psalm 139: 13 & 14—You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb. Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it.
Not only does God orchestrate life, He respects it. Can we afford not to respect life? Do we continue to abort babies God is knitting together at the rate of 4000 a day, minds that would create new knowledge, consumers, workers, and taxpayers?

2. Homosexuality. Leviticus 18:22—Do not practice homosexuality, having sex with another man as with a woman. It is a detestable sin.
Our country is dangerously coming close to accepting and legalizing homosexual marriages. The economic and moral consequences will be great if we legitimize this sin caused by a lack of self-control. The only choice of lifestyle God encourages is for us to choose the kingdom lifestyle, the Christian lifestyle.

3. Family Values. Hebrews 13:4—Give honor to marriage, and remain faithful to one another in marriage. God will surely judge people who are immoral and those who commit adultery.
We cannot choose to allow our society to crumble any further. Let’s choose to keep the family operating under God’s values and not the "whatever feels good" humanistic values.

4. Economics. 2 Chronicles 7:14—Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land.
As a nation that claims to be under God, we need to humble ourselves, pray, turn from our sins of abortions, homosexuality, and lack of family values—then God will heal our economics.

These are the important issues of change this election year. These changes will affect our nation in terms of economics, morality, and our quality of life. These issues transcend party loyalties, personalities, and ideologies.

My prayer is that Christians will band together for change in America so that God’s principles will prevail over politics and our values will prevail over the promise of a quick extra few bucks.

May God bless you and our great nation,

Phil

Phil has some good points. And what it all comes down to is: Vote for the candidate who best mirrors the image of Christ and not for what may be popular. These scriptures are promises for those who trust in ADONAI. Thank you, Phil.

XI. Death Becomes Us

Why is there death? Why do we have to suffer in this world? Especially, if there is a God out there who watches over us? Where is He when tragedy strikes?

These are questions that have been asked many times. And unfortunately, we can not answer it in a way that would satisfy the masses.

This life we live is not permanent. It is temporary. This life is a test. We are not meant to live forever here anymore. Unfortunately, the only way to go to the eternal life is by death. We can not enter into God's presence in our flesh because it is corrupted by our sinful nature. Our flesh has to be shed. Sometimes moving on to the next life will be painful. The pain is caused by our own sinful desires and actions. But if we have accepted that a sacrifice has been made for us then we only have to suffer a little while. Our 70-75 years of existence is short compared to eternity.

Tragedies happen such as an earthquake like the one in China that killed nearly 70,000 people. We all have often wondered sometimes why things like this happen. Where was God while this tragedy happened? Did He cause the destruction? God was not in the earthquake or the destruction. God is in the healing. When something like this happens, look for the healing.

We don't see the logic in letting these things happen. We question God in times like these. We shouldn't question His existence but we do wonder why He lets things happen. And that is okay. As long as we don't come up with all the answers ourselves. We need to trust in God and lean on Him during these times.

This will not soothe any anxieties but when these things happen people tend to pull together. They tend to love each other more. They tend to hold on to each other more closely. When 9-11 happened, our country was pulled together. We hurt but we felt each other's pain. It's not the stupidity of God that causes problems in the world, it's the stupidity of man. For some reason after a tragedy is over we tend to go back to hating each other. Sometimes even before it's over.

The question about suffering is a good question. All people struggle with this, including Christians. Even our faith struggles with this. Science can't help explain Him. There is no proof, so to speak, in getting anyone to understand Him.

Suffering isn't useless. No one can stand to suffer. We get angry with God many times for things we feel He could get us out of. But it comes down to the fact that we need to learn to understand how fragile life is. That we could be here one minute and not the next. It should make us appreciate that those around us are important and that we need to be the best we can be. We need to be an example for those around us. We need to be strong because if they have suffering in their lives then we can go to them and try and comfort them, for God has given us the experience, but even better the perseverance to get through those times.

A great marriage isn't about how you get along with your mate everyday but how you get along with them in times of trouble. Many marriages break up in times of trouble but a great marriage can withstand the test of time. Suffering makes us feel horrible but maybe there is a purpose in it. Yes, 70,000 people have been killed by nature, but maybe, just maybe 70,000 other lives can be touched and changed because they will now hold on to life more preciously.

Death is not the end. It is only the beginning.

IX. and X. The Satanic Verses

These have been moved to www.ideasoftimbible.blogspot.com as

http://ideasoftimbible.blogspot.com/2014/02/81-satanic-verses-part-1.html
http://ideasoftimbible.blogspot.com/2014/02/82-ths-satanic-verses-part-2.html

Please accept my apologies.  I felt they belonged more on that site.

VIII. Christian Democrats?

Can you be a Christian and a Democrat? Well you have to weigh the evidence yourself. If you go to the Democratic Party website and start reading their platform, you can easily say yes you can. But platforms are sometimes disguises.

Two of the planks are called Advancing Democracy, Development, and Respect for Human Rights and Renewing the American Community. These on the surface sound like the right things to do, and they would be the right things to do. However, under the surface one human right that they forget is the natural right of LIFE. A baby even in the womb has life yet they do not recognize it. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who claims to practice Catholicism, can not even admit that the Catholic faith recognizes the child from conception. She made up a lie that says the Catholic Church hasn't made a decision about when life starts. The Catholic Church is now up in arms over this comment by her and states the official comment on life is that it begins at conception and has said so for 2000 years. Go RCC!!!!! http://www.catholic.org/politics/story.php?id=29033.  A direct quote from the platform says: "The Democratic Party strongly and unequivocally supports Roe v. Wade and a woman's right to choose a safe and legal abortion, regardless of ability to pay, and we oppose any and all efforts to weaken or undermine that right,". If there is a democrat who says otherwise then they are out casted.

A question they do not ask themselves is who deserves these rights? The correct answer should be: every living soul. Yet, if there is a dictator who is killing people by the masses, they will be the ones who refuse to help them out. Bosnia...nothing, Rwanda...nothing, Iraq...nothing.

They claim to be a party for the people. On the surface, this is a fantastic idea. Yet, when it comes to pick their choice as leader, they feel they do not have to listen to their constituency. They have something called "Super Delegates" that are not bound by any accountability. If Hillary Clinton would have won the most delegates during the primaries, these 823 special people (25% of total count) can basically overrule them. This is called cheating the people.

They believe in stem cells being used as a form of medicine. This may start out as fine but there are those who want to start to clone, seriously! This is where it becomes morally and ethically wrong. God is the only one who can create life. He puts the souls into mankind. If we grow people then we become God-like. This has had disastrous results when men have tried these things in the past.

Their platform claims that they want to have faith based programs. But in reality they have joined with groups that try and destroy the Christian faith, i.e. the ACLU. They do not admit this. But there are too many overwhelming facts that say the opposite. Taking the 10 Commandments out of every public building. First of all, the 1st Amendment doesn't even mention separation of Church and State. And the part they claim it does say it, it is talking about government places not public places. Taking "Under God" out of the pledge, taking "In God We Trust" off the money. Taking away prayers in school, bible readings from all public arenas. This is the hidden agenda of the DNC, hence Barak Obama and Joe Biden.

They want to destroy traditional values of the family.  They support homosexually active people and want to change the definition of marriage. This is one of the first commands given by God.

You can try to be a democrat and uphold a Christian lifestyle, but it may be too difficult in reality. Do not kid yourself. Do not try and rationalize it. You will lead yourself right into a lie.

Can you be a Christian and a Democrat? Not really. But you be the judge.

By the way, the Republican Party is not the saving grace either, but it's better than the alternative.