I am a recovering Army brat who loves to travel and start new adventures. My handsome husband and I met at Oklahoma Christian University and he whisked me away to Kansas. So, I bought some ruby red high heels and made Topeka my home. I have a rough and rowdy Princess 4-year-old girl, amazing twin boys (almost 3) and a newborn baby girl who all make every day an adventure. We are grateful to be part of an amazing church in Topeka who regularly challenges and encourages our whole family. I have been both a full-time working mom and a stay-at-home-mom and/or both at the same time at one point or another. I am constantly seeking God’s wisdom on “balancing it all” and following His plan for my life, not mine.
“As you do not know the way the spirit comes to the bones in the womb of a woman with child, so you do not know the work of God who makes everything.” -Ecclesiastes 11:5 ESV
Temptation to Minimize the Truth
I was trying to look up articles or blogs about the importance of being a pro-life Christian to post on social media today in lieu of writing out something that had already been said well. To my dismay, I found more that instead tried justify abortion and death. I went down a googling rabbit hole of reading and it has honestly left me deeply discouraged this afternoon.
As believers, we should be informed by Truth in our lives. I fear that many of us are more concerned with popularizing our faith by minimizing the Truth. I am plagued by this temptation regularly.
I was reminded of Romans 1 at Church this Sunday. That passage is convicting for everyone but it also reminds me that sometimes under the mantra of Christian love, or for fear of offending, we actually forget to tell people the Truth, which is the whole reason for Love in the first place.
How much are we shortchanging precious souls by being ashamed of the gospel or glazing over the Truth about who God is and how to serve him?
Jesus Calls Us to Abundant Life
Jesus ate with sinners and he loved the “unlovable” but he required of them a change. He did not have them continue to wallow in sin, he brought them up to Life so they could have Life abundantly.
The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.
– Jesus, John 10:10
He commanded to us to sin no more and to live in the Truth because it sets you free. John is the book of Christ’s love but He asks us to follow him. To give up this world and live for Christ, not to walk in darkness.
When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” – John 8:12
Jesus was and is attractive to sinners because He deeply and authentically loves us, we are all created in the image of God and made intentionally. However, he also provided a way out, a way to live differently. A way to no longer be a slave to the sin and evil of this world but to live with a purpose and with joy.
Living Truth
In “Christian-ese ” we call this process of living more and more like Christ “Sanctification.” What that really means is that God has the power to change hearts and lives so radically that we are no longer recognizable to the world as we were before. He calls us to be greater than we are, greater than how we exist separate from God.
Truly, the way we live, the way we vote, the way we speak and the way we serve should be informed by Truth and we need to consider what it looks like to not conform to the world or the culture and to not be ashamed of God’s word and what is commands.
In the spirit of speaking the Truth, abortion ends a human life which is inherently valuable. It also hurts the mother both inside and out. The argument that so-called pro-lifers don’t deeply and genuinely care about the well-being of both of those souls is deeply untrue.
Jesus loves them both.
We love them both.
We would to do well to remember the Truth about God’s love, for everyone, and stand for that which is so deeply important… human souls.
Toni was born and raised in a small town in Oklahoma.She graduated from East Central University with a Bachelor's of Science Degree in Business Administration with a concentration in Economics.After college, she returned to her hometown to marry her best friend, Charles.Toni is a stay at home mom to their three teens, two boys and a girl, whom God led them to homeschool.Her goal is to raise her children to love and serve the Lord.They live on a farm where they grow produce to sell at several farmers markets.She also plays the piano at church and teaches piano.
I know there are a lot of people out there who will probably be offended by this post. But before you jump to conclusions, hear me out. I’m not endorsing a candidate. I’m not telling you who to vote for. I truly believe that we must make informed decisions.
Many believe that as Christians, we should not be involved in politics, but we do need to be. If we don’t, who will? Are the people in office the ones that we want making our laws, representing us?
Then, of course, there is that separation of Church and state thing. Guess what? There is NO such thing! I know. You say, “But, it’s in the Constitution (Bill of Rights).” WRONG! Find it for me. The first amendment of the Constitution states, “Congress shall make NO law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof, or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people to peaceably assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.” (Emphasis added)
It says “…no law respecting the establishment of a religion…” This means that Congress cannot establish a State religion. This is why they left Europe. They had State-sponsored churches like the Church of England. Everyone was supposed to be a member of the state church and worship and believe in that manner. They wanted to ensure that our Government would not do this. “…or prohibiting the free exercise thereof…” This clearly states that the Government will not interfere with our religion. They will not tell us how to believe or how to worship.
Now that we have the background, let’s continue.
First and foremost, we must vote for a Christian. This is someone who truly has a relationship with Christ and shows it in their actions. We want someone who believes as we do passing laws for us to live by. I’m not saying that non-Christians are to be excluded, but this nation was built on Biblical principles. Saying it wasn’t or things have changed only diminishes what our founding fathers went through.
We must vote the Bible! We cannot vote for SIN. This is whether it is on state questions or for candidates. Anything or anyone that supports sin should not get our support. I am not saying that we should hate sinners because we are all sinners, but we are to flee from sin. We should be voting for the sanctity of human life because God created all life and it is not man’s decision when to end that life. This applies not only to abortion, but to euthanasia also.
We should also vote for those who will be fiscally responsible. Jesus even tells us that we are to “render unto Caesar what is Caesar’s.” (Luke 20:25) But we are to entrust our money with those that will invest it wisely as with the nobleman in Luke 19:11-27. If they have been wasting our money or are not themselves fiscally responsible, then we should not vote for them.
I have other criteria that coincide with my stance on other issues that I look at along with the above. We must put God first in our voting decisions.
The most important thing we can do is pray. We need to pray about who God wants us to vote for. We should pray for a discerning spirit. If we listen, God will tell us.
I have decided who I am not voting for; I have not decided who I am voting for. I also believe that if you cannot chose a candidate, you do not have to pick the “lesser of two evils.” Go to the ballot box and leave those races or questions blank. Leaving it blank is still voting. It is saying “I don’t agree with these choices.”
I believe this could be the most important election in our lifetime. We must be politically active. Please do not take it lightly. God knows all that we do. We must answer to him for those decisions. Are you willing to stand before God and tell Him that you voted for a candidate who did not follow Him?
Are there any factors that you use to determine how you will vote?
Have you chosen your candidates yet?
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