“I don’t tell people what I’m doing on Tuesday because it is a personal decision.”

I recently read a fairly well known pastor of a large church write this in an article. I have also read another from another very well know preacher say Christians should not vote all together this election. These are not new “sayings” among people, whether a Pastor, or layman.

However, I do not entirely agree with it, nearly at all. I am not saying I am wiser, nor more educated than those that take this stand. To each his or her own. However I do have a few years on me, with a variety of experiences, as well as education.

I made a profession of faith 38 years ago, fully surrendered to that faith & began serving in Ministries 30 years ago if that gives me any credibility. Granted I’ve seen more “cautious” church leaders on staff make this statement, and prefer little to no conflict or to offend others, especially a congregation. However, I am not a strong believer on that stance either. The Gospel was not meant to “not offend” someone, it is truth & some people cannot handle the truth. Conviction of sin, can rattle folks, whether in a church or out of a church. Jesus offended many, so much, it caused the “religious” of that time to demand his crucifixion.

Ironically this same Pastor that wrote, “I don’t tell people what I’m doing on Tuesday because it is a personal decision.” has no problem preaching “no sex before marriage” while drinking a bourbon, or cracking open a beer right on the church stage. Or delivering a message that our words “can bring life or death” from (Proverbs 18:21) while speaking vulgarities at a campsite, or speaking of sex and masturbation during a church service, without letting parents of young children know not to have them in the main church in the attendance of 100 to thousands. Or confidentially preaching and teaching that “Men taking a minority position, even if they have to stand alone”… and yet state he will not share to whom he is voting for on Tuesday because it is a “personal decision.”

Now, please do not get me wrong, I am not condemning this Pastor for “hypocrisy”, or casting judgment. I am no one’s judge, besides some One has that job, and I surely do not want it. I also confess that I enjoy the occasional sip of fine bourbon, an occasional good cigar and my language isn’t necessarily pristine. I am also not a Pastor of a large church, or small church. However, I strive to be consistent in my message, my teachings, and the way I live my life. I stumble and fail, but thankful for grace and mercy God extends. To where I can ask for forgiveness, repent, learn, & strive to grow & improve each new day.

I believe the bible is the Word of God. All of it. The Old and New Testament. I believe we are to strive to be the Salt & the Light. To strive and do what we teach and preach. To not be double minded. (James 1:8) Do I fail? Do we fail? Yes. We all fail. However, my ego is not so large not to admit where I was wrong, ask for forgiveness, repent, learn from it, try to make it right, grow and improve.

I am also getting tired of Church Leaders and other Christians saying that Jesus didn’t get involved in politics, so we shouldn’t either. I want someone to show me where Jesus commanded not to be involved in politics, or be confident in whom they are voting for, and why? I am not absolutely sure those who state these things like these pastors wrote in their articles take the whole bible in it’s entirety in context. God certainly advised who should be King, and is King on earth and in Heaven. Heaven was also involved in politics before the creation of man. Satan arose to challenge God, gathering support of other angels, and of course lost.

In being the salt and light; being courageous and taking a stand. To do what is right and moral, even if is not popular, among the majority, even if you have to stand alone, should involve to whom you are voting, with confidence, brave and proud enough to share as to why, and encourage others to do the same, with, and in love. Never should politics cause caustic arguments, tearing down others, certainly not physical violence. We should, as mature Christian adults, be able to agree to disagree with grace and humility, and still love one another if we are not casting our vote for the same candidate.

What I prefer to see is pastor’s to stop with the “tippy-toe” words, theatrics, watered down messages, as not to offend the masses. Simply speak the truth, confidently, in love, even if that love has to be tough, and may offend some one, or many. After many seasons on this earth, I believe the reason things have gotten so worse, or to this level, is that people have taken God out of as many things as possible. To try to please as many as possible, especially those with the loudest mouths. Many have left their First Love in Christ, or distanced themselves out of fear of ridicule, or of “offending” some one. (Remember is written in Romans 1:16, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.”) Many churches have gotten soft, prefer to be entertainers, than feeding the sheep the truth. They have walked away from keeping the main thing the main thing to instead seek to entertain, build large buildings, have the best tech, and the highest numbers of attendance. If we want healing in this land. If we want revival, and the hearts of America to turn back to their First Love. For divisiveness to diminish, souls saved, morality increased, these 3 bible verses are a great way to begin:

“if my people who are called by my name 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.” — 2 Chronicles 7:14

“But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” — Matthew 6:33

“For the time is coming when people will not endure sound[a] teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions,” — Timothy 4:3

If any of this offends you, that is not my problem. Scroll on, and move on. That is you and your emotional ability or level of EQ to deal with it. I speak what I believe is truth, with wisdom, and seek to do it in love, even if that love has to be tough. If you have a problem to where it nearly enrages you, maybe you need to adult up, or “man up.”

“Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong.” — 1 Corinthians 16:13

And if voting to you is a “personal decision” don’t come complaining when your government takes 60% of your income for taxes, personal. Do not take it personal when your taxes pay for abortions up to birth. Don’t take it personal when your government dictates when and where you work, go to church, what you may wear out in public, or speak in public or online…. Don’t take it personal when your freedoms and liberties diminish and your country which was built on freedom and the lives that were scarified to create it, defend and protect it.