Andrew Wommack's Blog, page 26

A Sneak Peek at Christmas

One Christmas Eve, my dad agreed to let my sisters and me sleep in the downstairs family room on our grandparents’ sleigh bed, the bed he put together each time my grandparents visited. They hadn’t arrived yet, so it was all ours. Once we were bathed and in our pajamas, we crawled into that magical bed. Full of giggles, we told stories until we fell asleep with the joyful anticipation that the next day was Christmas.

In the middle of the night, my younger sister woke us up. “Let’s go peek for presents,” she whispered.

As our bare feet hit the cold, unfinished floor, the fear of being caught gripped me. Huddled together we pushed forward, opening the door to the game room. The Christmas tree was still lit, its reflection twinkling on the floor. Soon, we were on our tummies, trying to get close to the festively wrapped presents under the tree, and looking for the tags with our names on them.

Suddenly, a bedroom door opened upstairs. We knew the heavy tread of our father’s footsteps as he came down the hall and neared the top of the steps. In a flash, we were on our feet, sliding back through the door, and jumping into bed as Dad came down the stairs. Our hearts were racing as we lay perfectly still, pretending to be asleep. I sneaked a peek at my dad. In his white robe, he practically glowed in the dark.

“There wouldn’t be anyone awake now and out of bed?” he asked. “I better not hear another sound.” And then he disappeared.

Christmas morning came as usual. After church and breakfast, it was finally time to gather together and unwrap the presents.

The anticipation while trying to fall asleep and then excitement over discovering what our parents had prepared for us were always part of the Christmas experience. In the same way, as you sit in the audience and the lights fall at the start of The Heart of Christmas program, a shared holiday excitement enters the room. The set is like a great expanse filled with presents as you sit in the darkened theater. Only once the music begins and the set lights up do you get to feast your senses on the holiday wonder that the cast, director, and crew of Charis Bible College have prepared for you.

Christmas music—both the familiar and the new—fills you with nostalgia as you enjoy a feeling of family within your own community. To experience this for yourself, go to www.HeartOfChristmas.org to order your tickets. Adult admission is $25, admission for children ages 5 to 11 is $15, and children under 5 (on an adult’s lap) are admitted for free.

Arrive a little early and enjoy Christmas festivities, photo opportunities with a professional photographer, and the beautiful property of The Sanctuary. Don’t miss this opportunity to discover what’s wrapped up in The Heart of Christmas for you!

Freedom in the Dominican Republic

Charis Bible College prepares second-year students to go and declare the glory of God to other nations by sharing His wonders among all peoples (Ps. 96:3). These mission trips are not just prayer walks. Those who go—students whose lives have been transformed by the Holy Spirit—carry the “Charis experience” with them, taking the love and power of God and sowing it among the people they come in contact with. On one particular trip, the destination was the Dominican Republic—one of two nations located on the island of Hispaniola in the Greater Antilles archipelago, nestled in the turquoise waters of the Caribbean.

With the help of their hosts, Tim and Trena Johnson, the students visited many different places, and their testimonies awakened the reality of the Gospel for the listeners. Students truly had the opportunity to learn the meaning of Christian outreach. They were not sharing just stories from a book; they were sharing the true love of God flowing from their own lives. They visited a prison in Santo Domingo, and Charis student Sylvia Wells opened her heart and shared her testimony with the inmates:

“A few years before I came to Charis, my twenty-three-year-old son, Kyle, was involved in a hit-and-run accident and was left to die on the side of the road. Being found by a policeman, he was then rushed to the hospital, where he died several hours later. The man who hit Kyle was drunk at the time of the accident. He was arrested just days later and received a light sentence for what he had done. My son was born again, and in spite of the circumstances, I knew that God’s Word promises that to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord (2 Cor. 5:8). Because of this truth, how could I be sad, knowing that my son was now in the presence of the God I love?”

She continued, “I forgave the man and chose not to harbor bitterness toward him. I was free to celebrate the life of my son without focusing on the loss. Later, I found out that the man was struggling with guilt and depression because of what had happened to my son and our family. I wrote him a letter and extended forgiveness to him. I told him that Jesus died for him so that he could be forgiven and free. The man was very grateful for my letter. I’m sharing with you today how God helped me to forgive the man responsible for my son’s death—because you need to know that God’s forgiveness is available for you too. My son’s race is over, but yours isn’t. God still has a plan for your life. Don’t give up!” With those words, seeds of forgiveness, redemption, and hope were planted in the lives of those inmates.

During the same trip, Dominican children also received ministry. The visit from the Charis team to a mission where children gather for a meal and Bible study was the highlight of the day for many involved. The children were able to see that God loves them through these students taking the time to show that they cared. Ed and Michele Liquete, the team leaders, had the opportunity to minister to a Canadian girl who was struggling with drugs. They also helped others rededicate their lives to the Lord. Like Jesus, the Charis team went about doing good and destroying the works of the devil (Acts 10:38).

If you would like to help take the Gospel of Christ to the nations through the missions trips taken by Charis students, go to our
website: iamworldoutreach.com.

If Sylvia’s testimony or the work done in the Dominican Republic ministered to you, please comment below.

Shared Experience—It’s the Heart of Christmas

I was six years old the year I found a long, rectangular package with my name on it under the Christmas tree. The box was wrapped in candy cane-stamped, pine-green paper, and inside was a doll. She had caramel-colored hair, a white blouse, and a red, Scottish-plaid beanie and skirt. I named her Tammy.

After dinner and baths, I sat on the floor in pajamas with my little sister. My parents and older siblings were there too. The darkened room created a theater effect. The television played a movie about Heidi, her grandfather, and an ornery goat. Christmas lights twinkled off the surface of our shiny floor like stars reflecting on a lake. We passed around bowls of popcorn, and Tammy sat on my lap. Nothing can ever take away the sense of belonging I had in that moment. For me, family identity was formed on holidays, during our shared meals, or on game nights. Those shared experiences were embedded in me as a child, creating points of connection.

Last year I attended Charis Bible College’s original production The Heart of Christmas. My son and I went with several families from his school. Sitting shoulder to shoulder with my son, a familiar warmth rushed through my senses as soon as the lights fell.

The Heart of Christmas, an original play written by Adam Stone and Elizabeth and Robert Muren, focuses on a family who passes their Christmas traditions down through a book, as the world changes rapidly around each generation. The book is the story of a “fourth” wise man who becomes separated from the other three wise men. He spends his life looking for the Messiah, whom he missed the opportunity to honor as a babe in Bethlehem.

The stage of this multimedia play is divided into one set featuring a two-story house and one set that displays all the action that occurs outside of the home. The family’s living room takes on scenes from the past up to the present, while the main stage portrays scenes from the book. With stage changes, the main stage also becomes the historical site of world events. Background action and crowd scenes are projected onto large screens behind the set, giving the production a larger-than-life feel.

If you’re looking for a shared family experience, The Heart of Christmas will transport you and your loved ones to a magical moment where cherished memories are formed and holiday traditions are made. The early-bird price is $21 for adults, but be sure to order by November 9. After November 9, regular adult admission will be $25. Children from 5 to 11 years old are $15, and children under 5 (on an adult’s lap) are free.

Plan to come to Charis a little early that day to enjoy Christmas festivities, photo opportunities with a professional photographer, and Charis’s scenic mountain property, The Sanctuary. It’s a holiday experience you won’t want to miss.

Don’t forget: Early-bird prices will only last through November 9. Go to www.HeartOfChristmas.org and order your tickets today!

How’s Your Spiritual Radar?

“It is the glory of God to conceal a matter, But the glory of kings is to search out a matter.”

Proverbs 25:2 (Amplified Bible)

When I was in college, I took a social science course for one of my required electives. As my professor began to introduce certain theories, I felt my spirit push back against those concepts. I immediately sensed that what I was hearing was slanted. Praying in the Spirit had become a normal part of my life at that point, and I had been learning how to tune in to my spiritual senses. So, I knew something was up.

In Andrew’s book The New You & The Holy Spirit, he says,

“I pray in tongues often without receiving anything from the Lord at that moment. However, when I need it a week or a month later, I’ll ask God for the interpretation of what I’ve been praying in tongues. At that point, I receive exactly what I need from the Holy Spirit” (p. 109).

Because of what I believed the Holy Spirit was showing me, I decided to take my professor’s theories and “search out the matter” (Prov. 25:2). What I found out was quite interesting. When I researched the founders of these “accepted” theories, I discovered that some of them had been either involved in or influenced by the occult. I know now why it did not sit right with me—the new spirit in me (John 16:13). As I continued with my classes that semester, I did my homework and studied for tests, but remembered what the Holy Spirit had shown me. Because all studying is a form of renewing the mind (Rom. 12:2), I felt like He was guarding my heart against internalizing a distortion of the truth.

This is not to say that I dismiss research from people just because they’re not Christians. The hard facts they present may not be wrong, but I do pause when a researcher or scientist takes on a fallen worldview (Eph. 4:17-19). Eve originally learned the facts from Adam, but her perception of them was eventually skewed because of a deception she embraced (Gen. 3:1-7). Even with good facts, anyone can be deceived without the Holy Spirit, whether they work in medicine, academia, politics, or some other field.

Besides the help of the Holy Spirit to discern spirits, Andrew mentions other benefits to praying in tongues:

“Whenever you pray in tongues, you cause yourself to rest, you build yourself up on your most holy faith, and you keep the love of God active and alive in your heart. As you speak forth hidden wisdom and believe for interpretation, revelation knowledge will open up and supply answers you couldn’t get any other way” (p. 111).

Although some Christians dismiss or downplay it, the baptism of the Holy Spirit is vital to your relationship with God. He wants to make Himself known to you in your everyday life. In my case, He wanted to protect me from what I normally wouldn’t think I needed protection from.

Dig deeper with Andrew’s The New You & The Holy Spirit teaching. You will learn how salvation through Jesus changes you and how the baptism in the Holy Spirit takes you to the next level in your Christian walk. It’s available in CD, DVD, book, and study guide formats. You can also watch Andrew teach it on the Gospel Truth broadcast.

Share a comment below if you’ve had a similar experience.

Costa Rica: A Mission of Love

“People kept commenting on my eyes,” recalled second-year Charis Bible College Colorado student Laurie Wegner. “At first, I thought it was just because I was pasty white with green eyes. But then a man told me that he could see God in my eyes and that it was beautiful.”

Every year, hundreds of second-year students from Charis Colorado are sent out to over a dozen different countries, putting their curriculum into practice. The very same message of God’s love and grace that has been transforming their lives for two years pours out of them in ways that they never thought possible. Such was the case with the 2016 missions trip to Costa Rica, where students saw firsthand the power of God’s love for His children.

“One afternoon, we went door-to-door praying for people and inviting them to a church service in the community later that evening,” Laurie continued. “At one of the homes, we began talking with a young woman when an older man came out. He seemed a bit apprehensive and not sure that he wanted us there. We asked if we could pray for him, but he wouldn’t let us.

[image error]“As we talked, I noticed that he would glance at me and quickly look away. At one point, he even interrupted the interpreter and asked where I was from. After that, he wouldn’t look at me at all. He mentioned that he had been separated from his wife for twenty-three years. He always thought that he would grow up to be a pastor, but he assumed it was too late now.”

After they had talked a little while longer, Laurie said they invited him to the service that night; however, they weren’t sure if he would actually come. But to Laurie and the team’s surprise, he showed up. He looked uncomfortable and ready to bolt at any moment, until one of the team members began to preach words right into this man’s heart.

“After church, a couple of us went to go pray with him,” Laurie said. “He confessed that he had been having thoughts of killing his girlfriend, and he didn’t want to think that way anymore. After we prayed, the man looked directly into my eyes and said, ‘Your eyes, whoa!’ He kissed me on the cheek and left.”

The fruit of this trip continues to manifest as students recall the moments God used them to spread His love in Costa Rica. “When they told us we were going to stand on the street corners with signs that say Free Hugs, my flesh wanted to start arguing,” admitted student Robert Paige. “But as people were hurrying past us, they would look down at the sign and slow down. They would stop, turn around, and stand in front of the sign, crying. Finally, they would lay their heads on our shoulders and weep. After several people did this, you couldn’t get that sign away from me!

“It doesn’t matter what country you go to or what language barrier there is,” continued Robert. “People are hurting. We all have a story to tell. Everyone wants to be loved.”

As a partner with Andrew Wommack Ministries, you are enabling Robert, Laurie, and hundreds of other students to be sent out to minister this love to lost and hurting people. Not only are the students impacted forever, but countless others around the world are also experiencing the love of the
Father—some for the very first time.

Find out how you can partner with Charis and AWM today!

Now It’s Your Turn!

Like most families, ours is scattered across multiple states. But every year we set aside a week in the summer for our kids to bond at “Cousins’ Camp.” They spend hours playing outside together and inventing new games. But this past summer, work obligations kept my husband and me at home. Our kids didn’t seem to mind as we sent them to Cousins’ Camp without us. Every time we called them, they only had enough time to say, “Love you—gotta go!”

Until one Thursday.

At about two o’clock that morning, we got a call. Our oldest son was struggling to breathe.

We weren’t concerned. We figured he’d been abusing his body all week—getting little sleep, eating who knows what, and running about in the heat until he dropped. He’d probably caught a cold.

“You don’t understand,” his aunt said on the other end of the line. “This is not the prop-him-up-on-a-pillow kind of struggling. He’s not able to draw a full breath. His lungs are wheezing. He’s having an asthma attack.”

“Tyler doesn’t have asthma,” we told her.

“Then we need to go to the hospital.”

Those are not the words a mom wants to hear when she is three hours away from her son—and especially when the closest major hospital is just as far.

“Give Tyler the phone,” we said.

When Tyler took the phone, we heard nothing but faint gasps.

“Tyler James, in the name of Jesus, BREATHE!” we commanded. And for a couple minutes, we continued to speak over Tyler’s body, telling his muscles to relax and his airways to open. Unable to respond, Tyler gave the phone back to his aunt.

“What do you want me to do?” she asked.

“We prayed for him,” we told her. “Just let us know if anything changes.” And we hung up.

Genuinely scared for his life, Tyler’s aunt sat up with him all night. My husband, on the other hand, remembered what he had learned from The Believer’s Authority teaching: God has already provided everything we need through Christ. It’s not God’s turn to heal; it’s our turn to believe. So, completely at peace, he turned over and fell back to sleep.

But as desperately as I wanted to follow my husband’s example, I couldn’t. I knew God’s Word. I knew what Christ had provided, but I also knew that Andrew’s words in The Believer’s Authority book were true when he said, “If someone isn’t healed, it’s not God who didn’t heal them—it’s us not using our authority and power” (p. 80). I was scared I would fail, and I wasn’t willing to let my son die while I “practiced” authority.

Battling fear, I prayed in tongues for a few minutes. Then I remembered Psalm 4:8: “I will lie down and sleep in peace, for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety” (New International Version [1984]). I thanked God that He was with my son even when I couldn’t be. Then I fell asleep.

The next morning we called to see how Tyler was doing. His aunt said, “He’s fine. But I’ve never been so scared in all my life.” Later, when we asked Tyler about that night, he said, “I wasn’t afraid. I knew God was with me and that I would be fine.” And I knew—again—the faithfulness of God (Jer. 1:12)!

Learn about your authority in Christ by getting Andrew’s teaching The Believer’s Authority. This teaching is available in CD, DVD, book, and study guide formats.

Now it’s your turn to believe!

If this has inspired you, leave a comment below.

Mighty Works in Ecuador

It was the last night in Ecuador for the Charis Bible College missions team. They were ministering at a church and praying for the sick. A young man who was a member of the church’s worship team asked for prayer because he suffered from pain in his knees and calves. Brian, one of the students, prayed for him, and the young man felt much better afterward.

As the service progressed, Brian perceived in his spirit that something was not right. He asked the young man about it, who confirmed that though he was feeling much better, he still had some pain. Brian prayed for that young man again, used the authority that Christ gave him, and commanded any root of pain and swelling to leave in the name of Jesus. Brian recalls, “[The] pain was gone and [the] healing completely manifested. Jesus is Lord!”

Some might hear a testimony like this and think, Wait a minute. It’s unbelief to pray for something twice! But Brian knew the difference between praying using vain repetitions (Matt. 6:7) and praying with authority to overcome hindrances. As he put it, “I knew it [was] not a lack of faith to pray again. We had to press in more to overcome the lie of the symptom. And when we did, we saw a great victory for this young man in the name
of Jesus!”

At Charis, students like Brian hear Andrew teach on subjects such as prayer, authority, and healing. In his book You’ve Already Got It! Andrew says, “It’s not wrong to continue to pray if you understand that God has already released His power. In the spirit realm, [the healing is] complete. But you don’t want it to just stay in the spirit. You want it manifest in the physical. So you pray again, not doubting that God has already given, but to rebuke the devil” (p. 107). He goes on to explain, “You pray to build up your faith and encourage yourself. Instead of just praying once and then trying to forget it, you’re aggressively releasing your faith to deal with any hindrance and draw the provision into the physical realm” (p. 107).

This revelation is what empowers students like Brian to overcome hindrances when they pray for the sick. If students don’t see immediate results, they don’t doubt God’s faithfulness. Instead, they recognize that God is a Spirit and that He moves in the spirit realm (John 4:24). God already provided the healing, and their part is to cooperate with God’s laws so that healing can manifest in the natural. Obtaining the victory is much easier when you fight the Enemy with the truth.

But healing was not the only gift the students shared with the Ecuadorian people. In countries that have a strong Catholic influence, like Ecuador, the baptism of the Holy Spirit is almost unheard of. But the students’ testimonies were like the call of a ringing bell, inviting the people to receive their prayer language. And many of them did! Even the van driver who transported the students was baptized in the Spirit. Melissa, another student, remembers, “After our driver received the baptism in the Holy Spirit, he was jumping up and down, speaking in tongues, [and] praising the Lord.”

The faith of the students opened the windows of heaven over the people in Ecuador, and the blessings kept pouring in. When you partner with Andrew Wommack Ministries and Charis, you are facilitating trips like this one. Your help is invaluable to this ministry, and we love hearing from you. If you would like to make a donation to Charis or AWM, go here.

Please share a comment below if this post has blessed you!

Windows of Heaven Open over Ecuador

It was the last night in Ecuador for the Charis Bible College missions team. They were ministering at a church and praying for the sick. A young man who was a member of the church’s worship team asked for prayer because he suffered from pain in his knees and calves. Brian, one of the students, prayed for him, and the young man felt much better afterward.

As the service progressed, Brian perceived in his spirit that something was not right. He asked the young man about it, who confirmed that though he was feeling much better, he still had some pain. Brian prayed for that young man again, used the authority that Christ gave him, and commanded any root of pain and swelling to leave in the name of Jesus. Brian recalls, “[The] pain was gone and [the] healing completely manifested. Jesus is Lord!”

Some might hear a testimony like this and think, Wait a minute. It’s unbelief to pray for something twice! But Brian knew the difference between praying using vain repetitions (Matt. 6:7) and praying with authority to overcome hindrances. As he put it, “I knew it [was] not a lack of faith to pray again. We had to press in more to overcome the lie of the symptom. And when we did, we saw a great victory for this young man in the name
of Jesus!”

At Charis, students like Brian hear Andrew teach on subjects such as prayer, authority, and healing. In his book You’ve Already Got It! Andrew says, “It’s not wrong to continue to pray if you understand that God has already released His power. In the spirit realm, [the healing is] complete. But you don’t want it to just stay in the spirit. You want it manifest in the physical. So you pray again, not doubting that God has already given, but to rebuke the devil” (p. 107). He goes on to explain, “You pray to build up your faith and encourage yourself. Instead of just praying once and then trying to forget it, you’re aggressively releasing your faith to deal with any hindrance and draw the provision into the physical realm” (p. 107).

This revelation is what empowers students like Brian to overcome hindrances when they pray for the sick. If students don’t see immediate results, they don’t doubt God’s faithfulness. Instead, they recognize that God is a Spirit and that He moves in the spirit realm (John 4:24). God already provided the healing, and their part is to cooperate with God’s laws so that healing can manifest in the natural. Obtaining the victory is much easier when you fight the Enemy with the truth.

But healing was not the only gift the students shared with the Ecuadorian people. In countries that have a strong Catholic influence, like Ecuador, the baptism of the Holy Spirit is almost unheard of. But the students’ testimonies were like the call of a ringing bell, inviting the people to receive their prayer language. And many of them did! Even the van driver who transported the students was baptized in the Spirit. Melissa, another student, remembers, “After our driver received the baptism in the Holy Spirit, he was jumping up and down, speaking in tongues, [and] praising the Lord.”

The faith of the students opened the windows of heaven over the people in Ecuador, and the blessings kept pouring in. When you partner with Andrew Wommack Ministries and Charis, you are facilitating trips like this one. Your help is invaluable to this ministry, and we love hearing from you. If you would like to make a donation to Charis or AWM, go here.

Please share a comment below if this post has blessed you!

It’s That Time Again—Part 2

In Monday’s blog post, I discussed how important it is for Christians to vote according to biblical principles. It’s surprising to me how many Christians waive their right to vote.

It seems that there are two main reasons Christians refrain from voting. One is that they don’t like their options, which I talked about in part 1. Another reason is that some believe that God, in His sovereignty, will place in office whomever He wants, so there’s no point in voting. They believe that God always exerts His sovereignty when it comes to matters of the nations, and His will is automatically carried out in this arena.

In “Christians and Politics,” Andrew teaches that while God does ordain systems of rule for nations, the church, and even families, we can’t assume that all who end up in positions of authority will always govern in those positions according to God’s will.

Andrew explains how any governmental system is better than orderless anarchy, which was evident after the fall of Communism. God is a God of order, and He establishes an order of authority—positions of power—throughout any type of government. But He doesn’t dictate who will fill those positions. As Andrew points out, God “doesn’t control us like pawns.”

If God did control us, everyone would be saved. Second Peter 3:9 tells us that it is God’s will for all to be saved: “The Lord is…not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” Although this is His will, we know that many die unsaved. We can see numerous examples of this throughout Scripture and in the world around us, proving that God’s will does not always come to pass.

Jesus taught us to pray like this: “Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. [10] Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven” (Matt. 6:9-10, New King James Version). If Jesus instructed us to pray for God’s will to be done on earth, we can assume that it doesn’t
automatically happen.

When it comes to politics, it’s imperative that we not only pray for God’s will to be done but also take action by casting our votes. There are principalities, powers, rulers of the darkness of this world, and spiritual wickedness in high places (Eph. 6:12) that desire to take our nation further and further away from righteousness. The body of Christ must resist their influence through prayer and action.

Andrew explains in “Christians and Politics” that “God is involved in the process to the degree that we yield to Him. God won’t ordain something that is completely opposed to His will.” For example, Adolf Hitler and Idi Amin were evil dictators, responsible for killing thousands upon thousands of people. God ordained the positions of office that they held, but it was not His will for them to rise to power and commit the atrocities against mankind that they did.

God still has a perfect plan for this great nation that He founded upon the principles of His Word, and “the gifts and calling of God are without repentance” (Rom. 11:29). He’s not done with America! But He needs His people to cooperate and agree with His will. We do that by praying and
then voting.

We also have to remember that whatever happens in this next election, God—not our elected officials—is our provider. As Andrew states, “God is our source…to change our nation.” Regardless of who’s in office, we can trust in God’s faithfulness to take care of us.

If this has encouraged you, post a comment below.

It’s That Time Again—Part 1

Here we go again. It happens every four years. I’m not talking about the Olympics but about the long, drawn-out season of bloated speeches, empty promises, and mud-slinging television ads. That’s right. It’s election season!

Many Christians aren’t excited about their choices for president this year. I know that many have also decided to “sit this one out” and not vote, because they don’t like the candidates.

I can understand that! But as American Christ-followers, we don’t just have a right and privilege to vote; we have a responsibility to do so. Too many Christians waive that right when election time rolls around. And it’s making a big difference in our country—a difference in the wrong direction.

During the election of 2012, several Christians I knew said that they wouldn’t vote because although they didn’t like President Obama’s policies, they couldn’t support Mitt Romney because he wasn’t an Evangelical Christian. Maybe this describes you. If so, you’re probably finding yourself in a similar situation now. So, what should you do?

First, realize that your “non-vote” is still a vote. Someone’s going to win, so you may as well have a say in it. Second, it’s important to understand how to properly—and realistically—evaluate a candidate. Many Christians are looking, hoping, and waiting for the perfect candidate. Unfortunately, we live in a fallen world, and all of our candidates will reflect that.

In his teaching “Christians and Politics,” Andrew discusses evaluating candidates based on how their values align with biblical values. As Andrew points out, there is a clear difference in our two major political parties in terms of which one aligns more closely with God’s Word, particularly on the issues of abortion and homosexuality (see Lev. 20:13, Ps. 139:13-16, Prov. 6:16-17, and 1 Cor. 6:9-10). Of course, some candidates and elected officials may not agree with all points of their party’s platform, but generally, the vast majority do. Learn more about the platforms by visiting the party websites: www.gop.com/the-2016-republican-party-platform and www.demconvention.com/platform.

Some may say, “There’s more to consider than just these social issues.” Yes, there are other concerns. But what’s most important to God—issues of morality and righteousness, or issues such as taxes and the economy? If, as a country, we align the former with Scripture, the rest will follow: “Blessed (happy, fortunate, to be envied) is the nation whose God is the Lord” (Ps. 33:12, Amplified Bible). If we make God our Lord, the Word promises blessings to us. One way to show that God is our Lord is to vote, to the best of our ability, for those who promote God’s priorities.

In “Christians and Politics,” Andrew quotes the old adage, “If America ever ceases to be good, America will cease to be great.” Andrew adds that “the problem with our nation is a lack of morality.” For the sake of America’s future, we must learn from God’s Word what’s important to Him and then vote for candidates who hold similar positions and values. Sadly, most politicians fall short of God’s standards, but we still need to choose those who come closest. God’s Word, not our personal interests, must be the final authority when we step into the voting booths.

So, don’t sit this one out. Pray. Search God’s Word for direction on how to vote. Then vote for all levels of government and every issue placed before you. Use the power you have to get this country back on track.

Share a comment below if this has inspired you.