PRAY. WORK. VOTE.

It’s the beginning of a new election season. People are excited: politicians, reporters, and political junkies! But can you think of anyone else that is excited? Oh boy! I get to watch more political ads!

Election season is kind of like: “Okay, Tommy. Time to take your medicine. Open wide.” That’s OUR perspective.

But what is GOD’S PERSPECTIVE? Have you ever thought about that? God says we are stewards of everything He gave us. We can be a GOOD steward. Or we can be a BAD steward.

In America, GOD gave each of us a vote. Have you ever thought about the fact that your ONE VOTE is a gift from the Creator GOD himself?

He made you a steward of that one vote. He didn’t give it to anyone else.  Just you.

You can say, “I will vote as shrewdly as I can, asking God for wisdom.”  Or you can say,  “There aren’t any good candidates, so I just won’t vote.” You have an opportunity to INVEST your GOD-GIVEN VOTE. Or you can BURY it, just like the unfaithful servant in Matthew 25.

Now I know many of you are saying, “But what if there really aren’t any good candidates?” What do I do? I want to be a good steward of the vote God gave me, but I’m truly stuck. Let me back up this conversation for a moment. Let me ask you a question:

Do you like the America you see today? Or would you like to help change America? Changing America STARTS with INVESTING your vote. Don’t bury it—ever!

Let explain why. Some people believe, Politics is the art of compromise. It’s not.

If that is how you view politics, then first you need to CHANGE how you see politics. Only then will you understand WHY you must always invest your vote—every election.

Politics is NOT the art of compromise. Politics IS the PROCESS of INCREMENTAL CHANGE. It’s the process of taking one step at a time toward your ultimate goal. Sometimes that can be a very small step.  

How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.
How do you move a mountain? One shovel full of dirt at a time.
How do you make a million dollars? One dollar at a time.
Why is politics any different?

When you start thinking:  It’s ALL or NOTHING. I can’t compromise. You will get NOTHING every time. Because you fundamentally misunderstand what politics is.

But when you start thinking: What’s the next step? What’s the next baby step? Now you are empowered go where you want to go.

Let me ask you, What is the most important step in any process? The NEXT STEP. Because if you don’t take the next step, it’s over.

Politics is the process of incremental change. It’s the process of always taking the NEXT STEP —no matter what. Always vote with that in mind. If you dig, you can always find differences in candidates.

I am going to put an article on the BrightMedia.org website that will give you a helpful grid for evaluating candidates. It is entitled “Voting Tips.” Feel free to print it off and give it away.  But never forget to use your common sense.

For example, here’s one thing that most people completely overlook:  If the choice is between two awful candidates who oppose God’s values at every turn, but one is 40 years old and one is 65 years old, who do you vote for? All things being equal, the 65-year-old because he’s probably going to die sooner, and therefore has less time to do damage.

Be practical when you vote. You can always find differences. Ask God to help you to be shrewd when you vote.

But if you really want to help change America, VOTING IS NOT ENOUGH. You have some WORK to do. I know many of you are thinking, “Brad, I don’t have time.”

Really?

You don’t have time to PRAY about the upcoming elections?
You don’t have time to RESEARCH ONE candidate? 
You don’t have time to CHAT with like-minded friends about the issues?
You don’t have time to KNOCK on doors and hand out flyers for the candidate of your choice even ONE SATURDAY morning this entire year?
You can’t write a check for $10.00 to the candidate who you think best embodies God’s perspective?

Is that what you are saying?

You have time.  You just don’t have time to do everything.

And that is where I can help. At the end of this podcast, I want to provide you with a very simple TOOLBOX that will help get started. But before we go there, let me ask some questions to help you understand the bigger picture:

Where do CANDIDATES come from? Do they spring from the earth ex nihilo? “Let there be candidates!” Voila! Do they grow on trees?  Seriously, where do CANDIDATES come from? They come from your community.

Where do BAD candidates come from? They come from your community.

Where do GOOD candidates come from? They come from your community. They come from your churches.

How do candidates win? By getting more votes than the next guy.

How do they get more votes than the next guy? By having a vision, working hard, inviting people to WORK with them and then to VOTE for them.

Here’s the CHOICE.  You can get out there and do your part. Or you can stay home whining that there are no good candidates.

If you choose to stay home, you WILL get more of the same in the future. I promise. However, if you choose to do your part,

working with the candidates that best align with your vision for America, you might just end up being able to vote for a godly candidate who seeks to live, speak and vote with their Bible open. Wouldn’t that be nice for a change?

Now for those of you who are screaming “Separation of Church and State” right now. I can almost hear you. Your problem is, you don’t know Separation of Church and State is.  You think you do but you have been LIED to.

Separation of Church and State means the government may neither REQUIRE nor CENSOR religious speech or practice. That is why the founders put in both an “Establishment” clause and a “Free Exercise” clause. Too many anti-God folks conveniently leave out the “Free exercise” clause, and they perpetuate the myth that Separation of Church and State is a one-way street.

As Americans, we, including candidates, elected officials, and bureaucrats, we can say anything we want, we can believe anything we want —religious or anti-religious, and the government MUST stay out of it —according to the Constitution. The government must wear a GAG. That’s what Separation of Church and State means.

The government may neither REQUIRE nor CENSOR religious speech or belief. It’s pretty simple —except for those who WANT to make God disappear.

Now back to the issue at hand. If you want to be able to vote for godly candidates, you’re going to have to do some work. No way around it.  Don’t tell me you don’t have time.  If you tell me you don’t have time, what I will hear is, “I just don’t care that much.”

God forbid, but you may have to miss watching a college football game on Saturday morning. Now if you are like me, that is a sacrifice. I LOVE college football.   But if you’re not willing to FOREGO that in order to help shape the America your kids or grandkids will grow up in, then you’re a SELF-CENTERED NARCISSIST.  Really.  Someone needs to tell you that.

Are there any sacrifices you’re willing to make to help reshape the future of America? Comfort, time, money, shoe leather, football games?  If you thought of one thing you are willing to sacrifice, that’s a good start.

Now, I know many of you are saying, “I have no idea where to start!”  You’re not alone. I can help you with that. Our informal mantra at Bright Media is, “You can do it, we can help.” We want to help. But we can’t do it for you.

You see this little booklet, “Your 7 Duties as a Christian Citizen”.

My dad first wrote this 45 years ago to help Christians better engage as salt and light in American culture. I revised it a few years ago to update it for the current cultural setting. Think of it as your starting TOOLBOX for helping to change America.

The first Duty is to PRAY. Unless you really believe you are SMARTER than God, you need His wisdom.

The last Duty is MAKE GOD THE ISSUE. Why? Because we can trace all our human problems to our view of God.

It is very simple.It is very practical. “If you want to accomplish X, do Y.” It’s a quick read. It WILL get you started.

You can order a pack so you can give it to your friends as well. You know that if you don’t know where to start, a lot of your friends have the same problem.

BrightMedia.org

Go to BrightMedia.org And order your copy. Don’t wait. Get started today!

In the future we will have a FREE e-Version at BrightMedia.org

Your kids and grandkids will probably be grateful that you did. And I imagine you will be glad you did as well.

You may not enjoy election season. But you can make a difference. You can’t do it all. But you can do something. Elections were designed to give a voice to the little guy. They were designed to give you a voice. Never forget that.

As Sue Trombino, a friend of mine in Florida says, “When we show up, we win.”

God says we are stewards of everything he gives us. He gave each of us one vote. You can be a good steward. Or you can be a bad steward. But this election season, you are a steward of the vote He gave you. Never forget that.

God is the issue—in every issue. Especially when it comes to electing candidates who can help lead us away from the DARKNESS toward the LIGHT.

This is Brad Bright. Thanks for joining me today. If you found this podcast helpful, please like, subscribe or share. God Bless.