Tuesday, October 18, 2016

Don't Vote Your Fears; Vote Your Faith


This is an excerpt from a sermon delivered at Calvary Presbyterian Church on October 16, 2016 entitled, "The Power of Christ."

Think about the Apostle Paul and some of the hardships he faced. He speaks about these in 2 Corinthians 11:
  • Hardship in labors
  • Many imprisonments
  • Countless beatings, often up to the very doorstep of death
  • 5x received 39 lashes
  • 3x beaten with rods
  • Once stoned
  • 3x shipwrecked, including one night & day adrift at sea
  • Danger from all directions and all sorts of enemies
  • Sleepless nights,
  • Hunger and thirst
  • Cold & exposure
And in the face of ALL OF THIS, he says in Philippians 4:11, “I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content.” He trusts in the power of God.

Then you look at us, coming into next month’s election, and we are filled with fear. There are those among us who can’t fathom voting for Hillary Clinton, and you're scared of what our country will become. Others among us can’t imagine voting for Donald Trump and you're terrified at the prospects of him being President. Yet others of us have consciences which won’t allow us to vote for either of them, and we fear what is going to become of our nation either way.

I plead with you, on November 8, step into a voting booth and cast your vote. Do so prayerfully; do so thoughtfully; but do so in faith, trusting in God and not making a decision based on fear. The same Jesus that enabled Paul to be content in all situations is sovereignly in control of this election.

As my friend Chuck Jacob wisely once said: "The Kingdom of God will not arrive on the wings of Air Force One."

Often we say that the President is the most powerful person in the world. That is a lie. The most powerful person in our world was, is, and always will be JESUS CHRIST. It was true when he created the world, it is true today, and it will be that way for all of eternity.