On Halloween Day in 1864, congress admitted Nevada to the union as the 36th state. Nevada failed to meet the required number of citizens, 60,000 by fully one-third; however, her rich silver mines and her promise to support President Lincoln in the 1864 election carried the day.
We are nearing a national election which could very well turn on whether or not genuine Believers are willing to set aside personal considerations in order to insure that a candidate whose stated positions are so contrary to Biblical principles is not elected.
Time and again the citizenry are disheartened as elected officials allow political expediency to trump their campaign promises. However, now is not the time to crawl into a virtual cave and give in to the sense of hopelessness which continually whispers, “What is the use anyway?” Rather, now is the time to dig down deeply and stand up for your faith based principles. Every Christian Citizen must become a sacrificial statesman willing to put his future, his wealth, and his life on the line for the cause of truth in these days.
Compare the stated positions of the two candidates: (1) One Supports abortion without limits–the other does not. (2) One candidate openly supports an organization which is instigating mass civil disorder in many cities while one calls for the arrest and prosecution of those who are destroying property.. (3) One candidate favors statehood for both Washington D.C, and Puerto Rico, while the other believes that such political dependencies should not become states. (4) One candidate believes the failed socialism of Europe & South America should be tried here–the other is a strong proponent of free enterprise. (5) One candidate believes the way to curb violence is to confiscate legal guns from the citizenry, while one believes strongly in the Second Amendment. (6) One candidate believes the government can more effectively use your earnings than you and wants to repeal tax cuts while adding additional taxes–the other candidate believes the American people can be trusted with the funds they earn, and that increased taxes is counterproductive to strengthening the economy. (7) One candidate believes that he can legislate the way churches and religious communities exercise their worship, while one believes that Freedom of Worship should not be abridged by government.
Now, I’m not going to tell you who believes what. You have several days to ascertain which is which. The time has come to stand up and be counted by determining the truth, and voting in a manner consistent with Biblical principles.
Should God visit upon us a season of chastisement as He occasionally did National Israel by raising up a leader contrary to His way, we should not despair. We stand by His grace and not by our strength, riches, or ingenuity. I believe God has blessed America because of our willingness to export the “Good News” of Jesus Christ. The opportunity to continue to utilize our bountiful resources to that end could cease as we become more and more pre-occupied with own comfort and prosperity. The season of chastisement would be occasion to re-evaluate our priorities and turn once again to the ultimate calling of all genuine Believers found in Matthew 28:18ff.
Nevada would eventually have become a state, but political expediency caused the bending of rules and suspending of hard and fast criteria to insure the re-election of President Lincoln. Let us not compromise Biblical principles for the empty promise of a life of ease where everyone sits on his own ivory couch under his own fig tree.
