#302 (8/26) - Sunday Special > "Christian Citizenship"

[FYI #1 - My GENday is Sept. 19th. When is YOURS?]

FYI - As usual on Sundays, please try to catch this week's broadcast of "Truth That Transforms." (In Central Florida, 9-9:30 am, 10-10:30 am, 5-5:30 pm; check your TV listings) or watch it at www.truthinaction.org. This week's very timely message is entitled “Building A Christian Nation" and helps Christians to determine the values they should vote for.
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- The following is a commentary by the late D. James Kennedy, posted on August 1, 2012, by Truth In Action Ministries [See the article after the one below to find out how you can REGISTER TO VOTE and PRAY for our country. - Stan]

Jesus Christ declared, “Render unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s and unto God the things that are God’s.” (Matthew 22:21)

In that verse we can clearly see that there are two spheres in which we are to render our due responsibilities — the Kingdom of God and the kingdoms of this world.
America began with godly men who came to these shores to worship Jesus Christ and advance His Kingdom. God blessed their efforts and America became the greatest nation on earth. But what happened?

Today we live in a land of rampant sexual immorality, abortion, drug use, and violence of every sort. Education, which used to be the pride of this nation, has become a disgrace. Well, what happened along the way from Plymouth Rock until now? Upon whom shall we lay the blame?

Do you remember the story of Dr. Frankenstein and his monster? In the final scene the monster goes berserk, wreaks havoc upon the townspeople, a number of them are killed, and now he attacks Doctor Frankenstein and destroys his home.
A friend of Dr. Frankenstein says to him, “What has happened here?”
Dr. Frankenstein replies: “A monster did this.
“A monster? Where did it come from, Dr. Frankenstein?”
“Well… I made it myself.”

You see, we have to acknowledge that a great deal of the blame must be laid at the doorstep of the church. We failed to obey the Great Commission of leading others to Christ and the Cultural Mandate to be involved in every sphere of activity. We retreated from politics and government and the media and higher education, and we left it to unbelievers. We have failed to fulfill our responsibilities as citizens, and we have failed to obey the command of Christ to render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar’s.

The purpose of government is to defend its citizens and restrain evildoers that we may live godly and peaceable lives. But we have had a government that all too often has failed to defend its citizens and has encouraged evildoers rather than restraining them.

Well, how do we render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar’s? First of all, we should pray regularly, faithfully, and daily, for those who are in power — for our President, the Supreme Court, the Congress, and those who rule locally. Secondly, we should register to vote. Millions of evangelical Christians are not even registered to vote. Do you realize that we could have totally changed every election that has taken place in the last 50 years if we simply voted? Christians have had it in their power to change all of these things that we lament and complain about, and we just haven’t done it. Voting, for non-Christian Americans, is a privilege and a responsibility. But for Christians, it is a DUTY demanded by God that we should fulfill.

Thirdly, we should educate ourselves regarding the important moral issues facing our nation. Also, we need to examine what the candidates themselves stand for, and then vote as God would have you vote.

I wonder what people will say to their grandchildren when they ask, “Granddaddy, What were you doing when America became a godless nation? What did you do to stop that?”

We can stop it and we can change it if we will simply be obedient to what Jesus Christ told us to do and fulfill our responsibilities as Christian citizens. All the blessings this nation has enjoyed have come from Jesus Christ, and it’s up to us to bring Him and His teachings and His Gospel back to this country so that we can once more say, “God bless America, land of the free.”

[bold and italics emphasis mine]
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Voter Registration Will Be Critical in 2012, Posted on August 1, 2012 by Dr. Karen Gushta, http://www.truthimpact.me/index.php/author/k-gushta/

... About 30 percent of eligible American voters are not registered. The number of unregistered Christian voters is higher. Of the 60 million evangelical Christians in the United States, 40 percent are not registered. This year, two organizations are trying to change this.
Both ChampiontheVote.com and iVoteValues.org offer online voter registration, volunteer mobilization, and church voter registration packets.

This year’s election is crucial. In 2008, nearly 15 million newly-registered voters tipped the election for the winner. As Christian citizens, it is our civic duty to vote. If you’re not registered, please register, and then vote your values in November.

(1) Be sure to be REGISTERED TO VOTE. To get details of doing that in your state, go to > http://www.cbn.com/special/register-to-vote/

(2) For a review of the CRITICAL ISSUES to consider in your voting, please go to > http://www.truthinaction.org/PDF/Final_Voters_Guide.pdf

(3) ALSO, BEGIN PRAYING FOR THE UPCOMING ELECTIONS; Download a free prayer guide at > http://www.prayerconnect.net/resources/prayer-guides/2012-election-prayer-guide