Question::  What should Christians do to get our country out of its moral decline?

Answer:  Pray!  Christians know that prayers do, indeed, change things.  The Bible tells us in 2 Chronicles 7:14, “If My people who are called by my name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.” (NKJV) As Christians, we must make sure that we are living our own lives to please God.  We need to repent from our own sins before we seek to witness to others about their need to turn from their sins.  Unbelievers can often spot a hypocrite, and they are understandably turned off by them.

Plus, as Christians, we need not despair as we see evil gaining ground by way of the new laws that are being made in this country which go against the Word of God.  Laws such as the ones attempting to redefine marriage or promote abortions, among others, are regularly in the news.  Believers need not feel defeated as we witness polls that show the majority of people favoring what God’s Word clearly calls sin.  The Bible tells us that God will not be mocked (Galatians 6:7).  He is still in control.  When a nation continues to be disobedient to God, it invites the wrath of God upon it.  Each person will have to stand before Him one day to account for his or her deeds.   God does not want us to reject Him and be lost.  Therefore, be thankful that,  “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).   The Bible says our sin separates us from God, who is holy.  He sent His Son, Jesus, to die on the cross for us, taking the punishment we deserve.   We only need to accept Jesus as our Savior and Lord,  ask God to forgive us our sins, and repent by turning  from our sinful ways.  Only by doing these things will we be saved and go to Heaven.

Additionally,  America’s founding fathers were wise to include recognition of God in such places as the Declaration of Independence.  Dr. Harold Pease, an expert on the US Constitution, wrote about the five references to God found in the Declaration of Independence.  Most famous is the following reference about our Creator, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.”  (See  http://www.libertyunderfire.org/2011/07/five-references-to-god-in-the-declaration-of-independence/).  Also, in 1954, US President Dwight Eisenhower was wise to get Congress to add the words “under God” to the Pledge Of Allegiance. ( See http://www.ushistory.org/documents/pledge.htm).  There are even carved images of the story of Moses in the building of the US Supreme Court.  Despite the many wrongs this country has contributed to like slavery and segregation, this country has done many other things right.  For example, this country remains one of the nation of Israel’s closest allies.  This country continues to be one that gives the most to address the world’s humanitarian needs.  This nation continues to be considered the most powerful in the world.  America has been blessed.  America has a history of acknowledging God in its historical documents, national buildings, and patriotic songs.  Most of its citizens call themselves Christian.

Therefore,  America needs to remain a country which recognizes the existence of Almighty God.  America’s people would be wise to remember the part of the Pledge that says we are “one nation under God.”  For the Bible tells us in Psalm 33:12, “Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD…”   We need to remember that we need to rely on the teachings of the Bible when making laws for our country and not govern in ways that go against God’s Word.

Amen!

Helpful Links:

Focus on the Family   http://www.focusonthefamily.com

Crown Financial Ministries    http://www.crown.org

The Christian Broadcasting Network    http://www.cbn.com

World Magazine           http://www.worldmag.com

Question:  Is it just me, or does it seem that dads are often portrayed negatively by today’s media?

Answer:  I agree.  Too many of the father characters we see in the media come across as either incompetent, uncaring, or buffoons.  By contrast, you rarely see the mothers presented this way.  Even the children can come across as having more sense than their dads.  For example, have you seen the commercial in which the mom walks into the house to find her husband dipping their son’s feet in paste to make socks?  Some of the paste is still dripping from the socks.  Obviously, the child looks very weighted down and uncomfortable.  The dad tries to explain that he is trying to make socks that have a better fit.  Of course, the mom looks at him like he is crazy.  See http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eTpG37OvjFs  If the roles were reversed in these scenarios and the dads were looking at the moms like they were incompetent idiots, the feminist groups would be protesting in outrage against such degrading images.  Josh Levs of CNN wrote  a good article about this media dad-trashing trend.  Read his “No more dumb dad: Changing the bumbling father stereotype” at http://www.cnn.com/2012/06/12/living/dumb-dad-stereotype.

Additionally,  I don’t think this incompetent father trend helps in these days of increasingly troubled families.  My hope is that the father images become more positive or at least, balanced out.  People are, indeed, influenced by what they see on TV, so it does matter what is shown.  We need to do all we can to strengthen our families.  We need to start by promoting good, strong Christian fathers!

Below is a timely repeat of my Father’s Day blog from last June.

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Question: The world says that fathers aren’t really important to a family.  What does the Bible say?

Answer:  God’s Word makes it clear that fathers are very important to the family.  In fact, the father in the family serves as a symbol of our Heavenly Father, God.   We find an example of this in Matthew 7:9-11, “Or what man …if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone…   If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give  good things  to those who ask Him!” (NKJV)  God teaches this lesson about how He provides for us by using the example of how the father in the family will provide for his children.

Additionally, Jesus reminds us of the importance we are to place on both parents in Matthew 15:4, “For God commanded, saying, ‘Honor your father and your mother…'” (NKJV)  In the book of Proverbs, we find the father in the family often being the one who is teaching his children how they are to live a godly life.  For example, in Proverbs 4:1, 11, it says, “Hear, my children, the instruction of a father… I have taught you in the way of wisdom; I have led you in right paths.” (NKJV) Here, the Bible tells us that God expects fathers to teach their children how to live godly lives.

However, it’s important to note that for a father to  do all of this teaching, he must first be an active presence in his children’s lives.  Above all, the father must be a godly man, himself, in order to set this example for his household.  Sadly, too many fathers have abandoned the role God intended for them to have in the family.  Today, there are far too many children being born out-of-wedlock.  Too many fathers are not providing the spiritual support or financial support their children really need.  Too many are making babies with women who they are not willing to marry.

On the other hand, there are also too many fathers who, while married to their children’s mother, are present in body only.  They live in the same house as their kids, but they are not active in their care.  They don’t take the time to really talk to their children, teach their children, or take them to church.  They leave all of this care to the mothers.  As a result, we have an ever-increasing amount of  children seeking father figures through gangs, young girls becoming sexually active to seek “love,” and more young people going to prison.

God did not intend for mothers to raise children alone – even though many women have successfully done this.   God wants children to be raised in a stable home with their father married to their mother.  Most importantly, He wants the whole family to accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior, and live their lives to please God!

We need more of these good fathers.  Personally, I thank God that my husband is that kind of very good father to our two children!

Helpful Links:

Focus on the Family    www.focusonthefamily.com

Crown Financial Ministries  www.crown.org

The Christian Broadcasting Network  www.cbn.com

World Magazine           www.worldmag.com

Question:  Is the new “zero tolerance” violence  policy in some schools resulting in over-punishment of students?  Does it defy common sense?

Answer:  Yes!  The truth is, common sense just really isn’t that common these days.  Some schools are overreacting in their responses to what used to be considered normal children’s behavior.   Inappropriate behaviors that used to be treated with a firm talking to or maybe a “time out” are now being punished with more severe reactions or even, suspensions.  A few recent examples of this include:  a 5-year-old Pennsylvania girl who was labeled a “terrorist threat” for threatening to shoot her friend with a toy bubble gun.  (See http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2013/01/19/5-year-old-suspended-labeled-a-terrorist-threat-for-threatening-to-shoot-friend-with-toy-bubble-gun/.)   There was also a 3-year-old, deaf  Nebraska boy  named Hunter, who was asked to change his name  because the sign language version resembles weapons.  The sign involves crossing his fingers while keeping his thumbs up and wagging his hands.  (See http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2012/08/28/school-allegedly-asks-deaf-preschooler-to-change-his-name-because-sign-language-version-resembles-weapons/.)   Yet another story involves a high school girl who was an honor student with a good reputation.  She accidentally mixed the wrong chemicals together at school and caused a small explosion.  No one was hurt.  She was expelled and arrested as a result of this.  (See http://www.businessinsider.com/kiera-wilmot-arrested-for-science-explosion-2013-5.)   Eventually, this teen was cleared of the charges against her, and  she was allowed back at school.  These are just a few of the stories in the news today involving school officials overreacting — in the opinion of many.  They remind us of the people referred to in the Bible in Romans 1:22, “Professing to be wise, they became fools…” (NKJV)

Obviously, there is a need for schools to practice good safety measures when it comes to dealing with student violence.  There have been far too many tragedies occurring in our schools.  But school officials need to be wise in dealing with inappropriate student behavior.  They need to make sure the punishment fits the crime.  As Believers, we know that when we need help with knowing what the wise thing is to do, we pray to God  in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!  Unfortunately, school officials today have been told to keep Jesus out of our schools.  We also know that since prayer was legally taken out of schools back in the 1960’s, violence and other social problems have steadily increased in schools across the country.  No amount of anti-violence programs will ever truly work until schools get back to the teachings of God’s Word, the Bible.  This is the only way educators will be able make really wise decisions on school violence.  Step one is found in Proverbs 9:10, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.”   Like all of us, school leaders need to remember this and return to using the common sense the good Lord gave them!

Helpful Links:

Focus on the Family     http://www.focusonthefamily.com

Crown Financial Ministries     http://www.crown.org

The Christian Broadcasting Network   http://www.cbn.com

World Magazine     www.worldmag.com

Question:  Would the words of Jesus be considered politically incorrect today?

Answer:  Absolutely!  When you read God’s Word, the Bible, you’ll see that some of the things Jesus said would be considered politically incorrect today.

First, keep in mind that everything we say today may be subjected to being filtered through the test for political correctness.  Our words can potentially be recorded by anyone’s smart phone and posted on various social media sites and viewed by thousands of people in mere minutes.  As a result, our comments can easily and quickly be  judged by those who hear them.  This has happened to many people over the last few years.  Their words have been used against them because  they were not saying what was politically correct.

Therefore,  knowing how someone’s words can cause  an uproar among the people, hearing some of the words of Jesus would also cause a controversy.  For example,  in Matthew 19:4-6, Jesus says, “Have you not read that He who made them in the beginning made them male and female, and said for this reason man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh?  So then, they are no longer two but one flesh.  Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate.” (NKJV)  Here, Jesus is defining marriage as being between one man and one woman, as God, the Creator of marriage, intended.  Defining marriage this way has definitely become politically incorrect today.  The US Supreme Court will be making a decision on the definition of marriage soon.  Depending on how the Court rules, legally defining marriage in the traditional way may become incorrect.

Additionally, in John 14:6, Jesus says, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through me.”   With these words and in other scriptures, Jesus makes it clear that He is the only way to God the Father and heaven.  Believers know that Jesus does not lie. The politically correct crowd wants you to say that there are many ways to heaven but that is not what Jesus says in His Word.  These words would not be acceptable as tolerant speech today.  The politically correct would prefer they not be used in public speech  because they would see them as being hateful.

In considering all these things, Believers must remember that having their beliefs branded as hateful should not come as a surprise.  Jesus said in John 15:18, “If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you.”  Columnist Janie B. Cheaney wrote a great piece on the “hate” label being put on Bible-believing Christians today.  Check it out in the February 2013 issue of World Magazine. http://www.worldmag.com/2013/02/haters_and_the_hated.

Politically correct or not, Christians should remember that the words of Jesus will always be true.  Believers will have everlasting life because we have accepted Jesus Christ as our Savior.  Read John 3:16.  His Holy Spirit lives in us.  He is with us always!  As we celebrate Holy Week and the Resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, we can rejoice for He is risen!  Praise the Lord!

Helpful Links:

Focus on the Family   http://www.focusonthefamily.com

Crown Financial Ministries   http://www.crown.org

The Christian Broadcasting Network   http://www.cbn.com

World Magazine       http://www.worldmag.com

Question: I’m a Christian with a very low income.  Should I be expected to give money to help others?

Answer:  Yes!  “…Remembering the words  the Lord Jesus,  Himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ” (NIV)  This verse from Acts 20:35 sums up how Christians should view giving.  All income levels should want to be blessed by God.  Even giving one dollar, if that’s all you have to give, will be a blessing to you.  That’s because God knows your heart and your circumstances.  Remember the story from Luke 21: 1-4 about the poor widow.  “As He looked up,  Jesus saw the rich putting their gifts into the temple treasury.  He also saw a poor widow put in two very small copper coins.  “I tell you the truth,”  He said, “this poor widow has put in more than all the others.  All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth; but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on. ”  Don’t you believe that this widow was blessed?

Likewise, Christians should also recognize that you’d be giving from what God has blessed you to have.  For we know from 1st Chronicles 29:11  that “…everything in heaven and earth is yours.  Yours, O Lord, is the Kingdom….”  It all really belongs to the Lord, anyway.  Still, in Malachi 3:8-10, God says, “Will a man rob God?  Yet you rob me.  But you ask, ‘How do we rob you?’  “In tithes and offerings.  You are under a curse – the whole nation of you – because you are robbing me.  Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house.  Test me in this,” says the Lord Almighty,  “and see if I  will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing  that you will not have room enough for it.”  God has promised to bless those who give.  We know that God does not break His promises!   Christians of all income levels can trust in the promises of God.

Also, all Christians should want to give to help others.  No one should have to beg Believers to give.  Believers should desire to give and give generously.  As 2 Corinthians 9:6-7 says,  “Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly,  and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.  Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion,  for God loves a cheerful giver.”

Finally, don’t be overly concerned that those who have more than you should be giving more to help others.   The Lord knows what each of us is giving or not giving.  He will judge accordingly.  Be more concerned with how much you are giving.  Be sure that you are not making excuses for why you can’t give more while at the same time you are willingly spending  plenty on non-essentials like the latest fashions, expensive hobbies, or pricey entertainment.  Again, if you are giving your best or not giving your best, God knows.   He wants to bless you, so be a cheerful giver.    For Christians know that it’s not just the other guy who needs to give, but you, too!

Helpful Links:

Focus on the Family     http://www.focusonthefamily.com

Crown Financial Ministries   http://www.crown.org

The Christian Broadcasting Network   http://www.cbn.com

World Magazine   www.worldmag.com

Question:  With the 40th anniversary of the controversial Roe v Wade decision this month, do we know how many babies have been aborted?

Answer:   Sadly, at least 54,559,615 babies have been aborted since the 1973 Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion nationally in this country. (See more on this figure in The Weekly Standard Blog for January 22, 2013, http://www.weeklystandard.com/blogs/40-years-later-54559615-abortions_697459.html).  As Christians, this horribly high number of abortions should continue to motivate us to fight for the pro-life cause.

Christians know that it is Almighty God who gives life.  We have read those powerful words of Psalm 139:13-14, “For You have formed my inward parts; You have covered me in my mother’s womb.  I will praise You for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works And that my soul knows very well.” (NKJV)  As Believers, we also know that the Bible says children are a blessing from God.  Psalm 127:3-5 says ,”Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, The fruit of the womb is His reward.” (NKJV)  We are to protect and value life!

Unfortunately, it is politically incorrect to even talk about the baby when discussing abortion.  Pro-abortion advocates tend to keep the debate centered around the woman and her so-called “right to choose.”  They do not discuss the baby’s right to live.  They also tend to keep the debate focused around pregnancies resulting from rape, incest, or the need to abort to save the life of the mother.  Statistics show that all 3 of these causes together amount to less than 5% of the reasons for abortions.  Don’t hold your breath to think that the pro-choice crowd would even agree to outlaw all abortions except for these reasons.  Their goal is to keep all abortions without any restrictions.

That’s one reason the pro-choicers rally around their pride and joy, Planned Parenthood.  Planned Parenthood is the largest provider of abortions in this country.  They give referrals for things like mammograms and Pap tests, but their main business and big money-maker is abortions.  As taxpayers, you help to fund this organization.  Therefore, taxpayers aid in helping Planned Parenthood stay in business.  Many taxpayers would cringe at the knowledge that they are supporting an abortion organization started to promote “racial betterment,” or eugenics.  This is what Planned Parenthood founder, Margaret Sanger, thought abortion could do for the black community.  After 1964, more abortion clinics were located near African-American communities.  The result:   by 2011, the abortion rate for African -American women was higher than the rates for both Hispanic and white women according to the Guttmacher Institute.  See more on this at www.blackgenocide.org and at http://www.afajournal.org/2012/October/102012_default.asp.

Obviously, as Christians, we know that we are to pray for and help those who are in distress.  That’s why churches and Christians must reach out and help women who are experiencing unwanted pregnancies.  We want these women to choose life, even if they decide to put their babies up for adoption.  We want them to know that adoption is a loving option for those moms who do not choose to keep their babies because they were raped, don’t have enough money to take care of them, feel they are too young, etc.  Some of the best resources available to help women with unwanted pregnancies are the local crisis pregnancy centers.  They can often provide free ultrasounds, baby clothes, and information on other resources in the community that can help them.  For more information on such groups, visit www.care-net.org.

While no woman wants to be in a crisis pregnancy situation, women must be informed that what they are carrying is not some meaningless piece of tissue.  It is a new life.  Even if that new life was a result of something as horrible as rape, destroying the baby is not the morally correct thing to do.  That baby from an evil, rapist biological father can still become the loving child of wonderful adoptive parents and become a great citizen of this world.  For a complete guide to this topic and all issues pro-life, check out the National Right to Life website at www.nrlc.org.

Also, while it is very rare in this country to have a mother’s life literally threatened by giving birth, the Bible does speak of being able to practice self-defense to save your life.  Even then, many mothers would want the doctors to do everything possible to try to save both mother and child.  All this said, if a woman has had an abortion and regrets her decision, Christians know that these women can ask the Lord to forgive them of their sins, and He will.  They can be very effective spokespersons for the pro-life movement.  They can tell other women who find themselves with unwanted pregnancies not to listen to the deceptive voices of the pro-abortion movement.  They can tell them, instead, to listen to the little voice of the new life inside them that wants to choose life and is saying, “Please save me, Mommy!”

Make the right choice.  Choose life!

Helpful Links:

Focus on the Family     http://www.focusonthefamily.com

Crown Financial Ministries   http://www.crown.org

The Christian Broadcasting Network   http://www.cbn.org

World Magazine  www.worldmag.com

Question:  Is saying “Merry Christmas” politically incorrect?

Answer:  If you pay attention to the popular media today, you’ll notice that there seems to be a concentrated effort to remove Christ from Christmas.  They seem to want to make Christmas as secular and politically correct  as possible.  For example, the Governor of Rhode Island, Lincoln Chafee, has been in the news for referring to the traditional state “Christmas tree” as the “holiday tree.”  He believes that name would be more “inclusive” of more people.   This has outraged many people who think he’s gone too far to be politically correct.  Even the farm where the tree came from is called a Christmas tree farm.  (See the story at http://radio.foxnews.com/toddstarnes/todds-favorites/rhode-island-outraged-over-holiday-tree.html.)   In another example, US Navy service members serving in Bahrain were recently told that they had to cancel their traditional live Nativity after an atheist group complained.  (See the story at   http://nation.foxnews.com/war-christmas/2012/12/11/navy-cancels-nativity-after-atheist-complains).   These are just two of many such stories you can find.  If you have children in public school, it’s likely they also get a very secular teaching on the history of Christmas in our culture.

Some Christian groups are fighting back against this tide of making Christmas secular.  Groups such as the American Family Association have even created a list of companies they have deemed “naughty” not “nice” because they don’t use the word “Christmas” or its symbols in their ads.  Or,  they will only say, “Happy Holidays” and prohibit the greeting, “Merry Christmas.”  ( Check out the list at  http://www.examiner.com/article/companies-on-2012-naughty-list-declare-war-on-christmas.)

In general though, Christians in the United States know that our country’s Constitution gives us “freedom of religion”  not “freedom from religion.”  We have a right to practice what we believe.  The government is not forcing anyone to celebrate Christmas.  At the same time, it would be wrong for the government or anyone else to stop an overwhelmingly Christian country like the USA from acknowledging the true meaning of Christmas.  None of these politically correct types would dream of prohibiting Jewish people from recognizing and practicing Judaism in public here or in Israel, or stopping Muslims from doing the same here in America or in their Islamic country.

Nevertheless,  many Christians continue to recognize Christmas as a celebration of the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.  Often, Christians will take time to re-read the details of Christ’s birth in the Bible, as in Luke chapter 2.  For example, Luke 2:10-11 reads, “And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.  For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.” (KJV)  Christians know that no matter how politically incorrect it may become to say it in public the facts will not change.  Jesus IS the reason for the season!   Merry Christmas!

Helpful Links:

Focus on the Family    http://www.focusonthefamily.com

Crown Financial Ministries  http://www.crown.org

The Christian Broadcasting Network   http://www.cbn.com

World Magazine  www.worldmag.com

Question:  Does God care about how we vote?

Answer:  God cares about everything we do including how we vote.  When we vote for someone who has made clear the agenda they plan to implement, we help them carry out that agenda.  If that agenda goes against the teachings of God, then we are helping them work  against God’s plan.  One day, we will answer to God for what we have done.  Our loyalty to a political party or candidate should not be stronger than our loyalty to God.

As Christians,  we know from studying God’s Word, the Bible, that it is God who determines what is right and what is wrong and not political poll results.  Believers understand that even when a majority of the people vote to endorse anything that God calls sin, it’s still sin, and God’s people should not help support it.  For example,  one of the biggest social issues being debated in our time is the definition of marriage.  However, if you know God’s Word, then you know that there is nothing to debate.  God created marriage to be a union between one man and one woman, period.  In fact, Jesus said this in Matthew 19:4-6, “Have you not read that He who made them at the beginning ‘made them male and female’ and said ‘For this reason a man should leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’?  So then, they are no longer two but one flesh.  Therefore, what God has joined together, let no man separate.” (NKJV)  God has defined marriage.  He created it.  Are you planning to vote for a candidate who defines marriage opposite as to how God defines it?  If you vote for this person, you will be helping him push an agenda that goes against the Word of God.

Another major issue of our time is the legalization of abortion.  We know that abortion is the ending of a baby’s life.  As Believers, we must remember who it was that gave that baby life to begin with.  It is almighty God who, alone, gives life.  Psalm 139:13-14, says it beautifully:  “For You have formed my inward parts.  You have covered me in my mother’s womb.  I will praise You for I am fearfully and wonderfully  made.  Marvelous are Your works,  and that my soul knows very well.” (NKJV)  Plus, we know that children are a gift from God, no matter how good or how bad their parents are.  In Psalm 127:3,  the Bible says, ” Behold,  children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb is His reward.” (NKJV)  Are you planning to vote for a candidate who is pro-life, someone who sees the baby in their mother’s womb as a gift from God?  Or, does your candidate support abortion?  Millions of babies have been aborted since the 1973 legalization of abortion.  The overwhelming majority of these abortions have not been done to save the mother’s life.  By voting for a pro-abortion candidate, one who will have the power to put more pro-abortion judges on the Supreme Court and keep abortion legal, you will be helping more babies’ lives to end.  Is this vote something you will be proud to defend making before God?

Many professed Christians  explain their support for anti-traditional marriage and pro-abortion candidates by saying that these candidates will help the poor and needy.  While there may be some good programs your candidate supports that help the poor, other programs, even though of good intentions, help the poor, simply stay poor.  Evidence of this can be seen by visiting many different poor communities in this country and seeing how these same communities have remained poor under leadership of both political parties, even after several decades.  Christians know that the best way out of poverty is by living God’s way,  putting your trust in Him, and making decisions about how you live that please God.   No matter who wins the political race, Christians will always be able to help the poor by leading them out of poverty God’s way.

The bottom line is that no candidate will be perfect.  As Christians, we are to pray for all of our leaders.  We want them all to accept Jesus Christ as their Savior and repent of their sins.  Yet still, voting for a candidate who has openly promised to support such things as abortion and anything other than traditional marriage between one man and one woman is to support an agenda that goes against the Word of God.  Since the Lord will hold us accountable for whom we support, pray that you make the right choices.   Let’s not throw God under the bus this election or anytime!

Helpful Links:

Focus on the Family    http://www.focusonthefamily.com

Crown Financial Ministries   http://www.crown.org

The Christian Broadcasting Network   http://www.cbn.com

World Magazine       www.worldmag.com

Question:  Why do so many Christians have trouble explaining how the Bible relates to today’s social issues?

Answer:  Simply put, many Christians are not regularly studying God’s Word.  In 2nd Timothy 2:15, the Bible says, “Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” (KJV)   When we stay in God’s word and pray for Him to give us understanding as we study, we can trust God to make His truth known to us.  In fact, by continuing on in 2nd Timothy 3:16-17, the Word says, “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.”  (NKJV)  Therefore, it’s vital that Christians study God’s word in order to know what they believe and be able to explain their beliefs to others.

Another problem many Christians face is that in our society today, Christians listen to people in the media as well as in their communities tell them what they had better think about various issues.  If the Christian dares to stand up for an opposing view, they may face ridicule, be called a “hater,” or even lose their job.  For example, a politician who says he is “pro-life” might be falsely accused of being against women’s rights.  A student who writes a term paper about how this country was founded on Christian principles might be falsely accused of not embracing religious diversity. Or, a different student might be falsely accused of not loving this country because they write about how the country was not always following Christian principles: for example having years of legalizing the sins of slavery and racial segregation.

Many Christians would rather say little, speak in vague terms, or remain quiet in order to be accepted by the group.  Sometimes, these Christians start to try to rationalize that it is okay to embrace the anti-Bible beliefs of the popular culture so that they can appear tolerant of all beliefs.  As a result, when this Christian tries to explain their beliefs, their explanation might sound confusing.  In fact, you can’t embrace both God’s teachings and Satan’s without being confused.  We are only to embrace the teachings in God’s Word — while always showing God’s love to others!

The bottom line is that as Christians, we need to be sure that we really know what we believe.  Therefore, we must study God’s word to know how He wants us to live our lives.  Make time, regularly to read the Bible at home and participate in good Bible studies under godly pastors and teachers.  Pray that you get the correct understanding from your studies.  As a result, you should be much better equipped to explain your Christian beliefs and stands on various issues to others.