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Amazing Facts Ministry.
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Doug Batchelor: How many of
you would say you believe there
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is corruption in politics?
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And so, should a Christian vote?
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Doug: Well, our message today
is one that has the potential to
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be divisive, but I
want it to be uniting.
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Usually when you're
talking about religion,
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that in itself can be divisive.
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And then if you add something
that has a political overtone,
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you've got the
potential for fireworks.
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And the sermon is very simply
"Should a Christian Vote?"
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The Bible says,
Psalm 146, verse 3,
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"Put not your trust in
princes, nor in the son of man,
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in whom there is no help.
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His spirit departs, and
he returns to his earth;
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in that very day his thoughts,"
and some versions say,
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"his plans perish."
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Now, I make it--need to make
it clear I don't believe any
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candidate is the supreme answer
for the woes of the world.
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There's only one Savior, and
that's when God became a man.
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But how do we as
Christians relate?
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We're right now in the
throes of another intense,
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a very inflammatory at
times political season.
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And I've received
a lot of questions.
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"Pastor Doug, how should
Christians relate to the issue
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of voting since there
is so much corruption?
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Should we just run
the other direction?
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After all, we're
citizens of another kingdom."
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Others have thought we ought to
be using our influence for good,
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and they would like to see every
church become a polling station.
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And so, you'd be
amazed, even within our specific
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denomination,
people are polls apart,
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pardon the pun, on this issue.
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And so, I've prayed
about this for years,
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I've studied it, and looked into
our church history a little bit,
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and I'd like to share with
you these different points.
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And I'm just going
to march through them.
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And if you'd pray for
me as I talk because I want
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to make sure to be understood.
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And this is in no way intended
to be an endorsement for any
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party or person.
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I'm just talking
about principles.
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What are the
Christian principles
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and attitudes about this?
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First and
foremost, point number one,
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we need to remember
Christians are primarily,
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primarily citizens
of another kingdom.
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Jesus made it clear, John 18:36,
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"My kingdom is
not of this world.
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If my kingdom
were of this world,
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my servants would fight, so
that I should not be delivered
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to the Jews; but now my
kingdom is not from here."
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Now, you notice he said, "Now
my kingdom is not from here."
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Will Jesus' kingdom someday
reign supreme in this world?
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But right now, there's a contest
between two principle leaders,
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Jesus being one, the
devil being the other,
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and a lot of
people sort of in between.
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Luke 17, verse 20, Jesus
said, "The kingdom of God
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does not come with
observation; nor will they say,
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'Look here,' or
'look there,' for indeed,
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the kingdom of
God is within you."
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So, Jesus reigns in
our hearts, he is our Lord,
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he is our King.
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But that said, is there anything
wrong with a Christian feeling
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some feelings, or
having some emotions
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or some ideals of patriotism?
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I think not.
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Loving the country
you're from--and it's fun,
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you know, as I
travel with Mrs. Batchelor,
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we go to allhese different
countries in different parts
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of the world, and people
are always very happy to tell us
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about their
heritage and their food.
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And, "Oh, we've
got--in our country,
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we've got the best food."
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And if you're in their country
and you say something about how
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much you enjoy their country,
or you say something to them
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in their language--and
everybody, you know,
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we kind of feel a little
bit defensive about our nation.
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And that's not
necessarily wrong.
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How did Jesus feel?
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Did he pray, "Oh Jerusalem,
Jerusalem, how often."
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And even Jacob,
when he was carried off,
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or when he and the family were
in Egypt--Jacob died in Egypt.
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What did he say about
where he wanted to be buried?
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He said, "I don't want
to be buried in Egypt."
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Why not?
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I mean, you can get
resurrected, get a new body.
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Said, "No, take
my bones back home."
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Joseph told the children
of Israel on his deathbed,
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"Don't bury me here. Bury
me back where I was born."
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He hadn't been
there in 100 years.
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Well, maybe 7 years, but he
wanted to beuried back home.
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My dad left Oklahoma at
15, and for some reason,
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of all the places he lived, even
though he was in Miami 30 years,
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he had his body
flown back to Oklahoma,
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buried next to his folks.
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Karen and Nathan just stopped at
his grave a couple of weeks ago.
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We're all kind of wired
for a little bit of patriotism.
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And it doesn't mean that the
country does everything right,
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but that's not
necessarily wrong.
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It's almost to
some extent natural.
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The concept of
voting or choosing leaders
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is actually biblical.
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You can--let me just look
at the definition for vote
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for a moment here.
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A vote is a formal indication
of a choice between two or more
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candidates or courses of action,
expressed typically through a
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ballot, or a show of
hands, or by a voice.
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Now, we vote all the
time even in churches.
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Just a moment ago,
we voted members in.
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And when we have our
nominating committee,
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which is always a little
bit of a challenging time,
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we nominate people, we
sift it down, we elect people.
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And you see this
principle in the Bible.
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Look, for
example, Deuteronomy 1:13.
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Moses said, "Choose
wise, understanding,
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and knowledgeable men
from among your tribes,
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and I will make
them heads over you."
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Acts 1:23, New Testament.
"And they proposed two."
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They're trying to find
a replacement for Judas.
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"One called
Joseph called Barsabas,
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who was surnamed
Justus, and Matthias.
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And the lot fell to
Matthias, but they chose the two
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to cast lots for.
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Acts 6:2, "Therefore, brethren,
seek out from among you seven
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men of good reputation, full
of the Holy Spirit and wisdom,
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whom we might
appoint over this business."
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And I don't know if
they asked for nominations,
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and one said,
"Oh, how about Philip?"
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And someone else
said, "How about Stephen?"
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And they
nominated different people,
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and the elders came together.
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And I'm not
sure how they did it,
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but they finally
came up with seven names.
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And was that a good thing
to pick those seven deacons?
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But you--are you
aware that one of the seven,
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whose name was Nicholas of
Antioch, a convert, he went bad?
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You read in Revelation about
the doctrine of the Nicolaitans
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which thing I hate.
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Nicholas started out
good, full of the Holy Spirit,
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but he went bad.
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And so, from then
on, the disciples said,
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"We're not voting
for anyone ever again
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because they could go bad."
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That's not
really clear thinking.
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They went bad.
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Who made Lucifer?
Was he a good angel?
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His going bad was
his responsibility.
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Who picked King Saul to be king?
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Now it is true the
people said, "Give us a king,"
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but the people
didn't pick King Saul.
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God picked Saul.
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They had no idea who
God was going to pick.
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God picked Saul,
filled him with the Spirit,
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and for a while
he was a good king.
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But then Saul, pride
went to him, he went bad.
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So, did God make a mistake?
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So, the point I'm
making is you can't say,
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"I'm never going to
pick anybody for anything
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because who knows
what they might do."
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Are we really going to
go through life that way?
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That's why
you're saying, you know,
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you don't want any risk or
don't give anybody a chance.
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And you, you know, sometimes
have to make decisions based on
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what you know at the
time you make the decision,
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and then you pray for the best.
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People are going to be
responsible for if they keep
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their promises, right?
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Sometimes, I'll meet
people that are asking
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for a little financial help.
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And I'll say, "Now, are
you going to use this for food?
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Or are you going
to the liquor store?"
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"I'm starving."
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I give it to them in good faith.
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I don't always follow
them around to find out
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what happened.
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If they go to the liquor store
instead of the grocery story,
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am I responsible, or
are they responsible?
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So, you're trusting the promise.
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And so, that's
another principle in life.
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Should Christians
allow political parties
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to divide them?
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There were times in the
1800s where political parties
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were just extremely divided,
something like today, right?
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And people were going
to church wearing buttons
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for the Republican
party, or the Whig party,
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or the Democratic
party, whatever the party was.
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And they were
campaigning in the aisles.
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And churches were breaking
out into fights over politics.
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And they didn't even know
who the candidate was yet.
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It was the party that
they were fighting over.
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As Christians, we
shouldn't be doing that.
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When someone says, "I'm
convinced about this political
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view," or someone
says, "I'm voting this way,"
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say, "Praise God, we're
in America, and we're free
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to make those choices."
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Don't feel like you've
got to twist everybody's arm
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to think like you.
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And to their master they
will stand or fall, amen?
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1 Corinthians 3, verse 3 and 4.
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Paul said, "For
you are still carnal.
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For where there is envy,
strife, and disions among you,
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are you not carnal and
behaving like mere men?
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For where one says, 'I
am of Paul,' and the other
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one says, 'I am of Apollos.'"
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Here they were, it's
like they were lining
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up behind different apostles,
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and turned it into
a political campaign.
00:11:16.24\00:11:18.37
He says, "Are you not carnal?"
00:11:18.41\00:11:20.18
Now, I think when it comes to
the issues that have some moral
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relevance, it is important
for Christians to vote.
00:11:25.75\00:11:28.75
So, you're going to hear me say
several things that sound like
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they're in favor of voting, and
what I'm talking about is voting
00:11:31.69\00:11:35.02
for principles and issues
that Christians should support.
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I'll give you some
examples of that in a moment.
00:11:40.80\00:11:43.67
Voting demonstrates that we
respect the authority of the
00:11:43.70\00:11:46.80
political system in our
nation established by God.
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How do we get
leaders, good or bad?
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They're picked by the people.
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Seventy percent of
America is still Christian,
00:11:56.31\00:11:59.95
in spite of all that you hear
in how values are changing. the
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press about And
they are changing.
00:12:04.09\00:12:05.59
I think I saw a new Pew research
study that was done this week,
00:12:05.62\00:12:10.33
came out Wednesday.
00:12:10.36\00:12:13.09
that says 50% of those who
stop going to church don't even
00:12:13.13\00:12:15.60
believe in God anymore.
00:12:15.63\00:12:17.43
And the way they gave the study,
it almost sounded like 50% of
00:12:17.47\00:12:20.54
American's don't believe in God,
but it's not what--that's the
00:12:20.57\00:12:22.67
way the press was
reporting it, but it's not true.
00:12:22.70\00:12:26.11
Of those who leave church,
50% that have left church
00:12:26.14\00:12:31.48
don't believe in God.
00:12:31.51\00:12:32.81
But 70% in North
America claim Christianity,
00:12:32.85\00:12:36.32
not to count all
the other religions.
00:12:36.35\00:12:38.72
We're still a
very religious country.
00:12:38.75\00:12:41.49
And so, if people don't
represent their values in the
00:12:41.52\00:12:47.03
government, well, then
you're going to kind of deserve
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what you get because
this is the government
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that God's
established in our country.
00:12:51.77\00:12:53.74
Let me read what Paul says.
00:12:53.77\00:12:55.07
Romans 13:1 and 2,
"Let everyone be subject
00:12:55.10\00:12:58.61
to the governing authorities.
00:12:58.64\00:12:59.94
For there is no and the
authorities that authority
except for from God, exist are
00:13:04.01\00:13:07.42
appointed by God. Therefore
whoever resists the authority
resists the ordinance
00:13:07.45\00:13:10.45
of God, and
those who resist will
00:13:10.49\00:13:13.29
bring judgment on themselves."
00:13:13.32\00:13:14.62
And Romans 13:7, "Pay to all
what is owed them: taxes to whom
00:13:14.66\00:13:19.76
taxes are owed, revenue
to whom revenue is owed,
00:13:19.79\00:13:22.86
respect to whom respect is owed,
honor to whom honor is owed."
00:13:22.90\00:13:26.94
In other words, be faithful
to fulfill whatever your civic
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duties are, whether it's
taxes or whether it's sharing
00:13:30.41\00:13:34.94
your voice in your
neighborhood association about
00:13:34.98\00:13:38.75
what should be used
on the roof of the house.
00:13:38.78\00:13:41.95
I mean, there's all kinds
of ways that we're involved
00:13:41.98\00:13:43.69
in civil responsibilities.
00:13:43.72\00:13:45.52
Now, you remember when the
children of Israel were sent off
00:13:45.55\00:13:48.62
to Babylon because
of their bad behavior,
00:13:48.66\00:13:52.46
they didn't like the
idea of staying there.
00:13:52.49\00:13:54.00
But God said, "You're
going to be here 70 years."
00:13:54.00\00:13:56.26
Jeremiah 29 said
in verse 5 and 6,
00:13:56.30\00:13:59.27
"While you're
there, build houses,
00:13:59.30\00:14:00.74
dwell in them; plant
gardens, eathe fruit of them.
00:14:00.77\00:14:02.80
Take wives and
beget sons and daughters;
00:14:02.84\00:14:05.27
take wives for your sons.
00:14:05.31\00:14:07.08
Give your daughters to their
husbands so they may bear sons
00:14:07.11\00:14:10.35
and daughters, that
you may be in increased,
00:14:10.38\00:14:12.15
and not diminished."
00:14:12.18\00:14:14.38
And then he went
on to say in verse 7,
00:14:14.42\00:14:16.15
"And seek the peace of the city
where I have caused you to be
00:14:16.18\00:14:19.22
carried away captive."
00:14:19.25\00:14:20.62
Now, they were sort
of in a foreign land,
00:14:20.66\00:14:22.12
but he said, "You're going
to be citizens of that country.
00:14:22.16\00:14:24.09
Be good citizens.
00:14:24.13\00:14:25.46
Even though you are
really children of Israel,
00:14:25.49\00:14:28.30
be good citizens in
the country that you're in.
00:14:28.33\00:14:31.47
Pray for the
peace of that country."
00:14:31.50\00:14:34.77
In other words, do all you
can do because in its peace,
00:14:34.80\00:14:36.60
you'll have peace.
00:14:36.64\00:14:38.01
What happens to that
country is going to affect you.
00:14:38.04\00:14:40.54
So, we should be interested
in what happens to our country
00:14:40.58\00:14:43.08
while we're still here.
00:14:43.11\00:14:44.41
While they were
in Babylon, he said,
00:14:44.45\00:14:45.75
"You ought to
care about Babylon.
00:14:45.78\00:14:47.32
Pray for Babylon
because what happens to Babylon
00:14:47.35\00:14:49.12
is going to happen to you."
00:14:49.15\00:14:51.39
So, as Americans, as
Christians, we sort of have,
00:14:51.42\00:14:55.56
like, dual citizenship.
00:14:55.59\00:14:58.06
We are
principally kingdom of God,
00:14:58.09\00:15:01.20
children of Christ,
but we've got to occupy
00:15:01.23\00:15:05.23
till he comes back.
00:15:05.27\00:15:07.34
Now, this has been a struggle
for the church through the ages.
00:15:07.37\00:15:09.87
You realize--you
read the New Testament,
00:15:09.90\00:15:11.94
the apostles
believed when Jesus said,
00:15:11.97\00:15:14.61
"I will come again," how
long did you think they thought
00:15:14.64\00:15:17.21
that would be?
00:15:17.25\00:15:20.18
They thought at least by
the destruction of Jerusalem,
00:15:20.22\00:15:22.02
that was it.
00:15:22.05\00:15:23.35
They equated the
destruction of the temple
00:15:23.39\00:15:24.89
with the end of the world.
00:15:24.92\00:15:26.22
And New Testament
closes, John says,
00:15:26.25\00:15:28.92
"Even so, come Lord Jesus."
00:15:28.96\00:15:30.69
Do you think John knew it was
going to be another 1,900 years?
00:15:30.73\00:15:35.60
Matter of fact, Paul
had to calm him down.
00:15:35.63\00:15:38.17
He had a little
more insight, he said,
00:15:38.20\00:15:39.93
"Don't get all worked up
thinking that the day of the
00:15:39.97\00:15:41.70
Lord is at hand.
00:15:41.74\00:15:43.04
Some things have
to happen first."
00:15:43.07\00:15:45.51
Jesus said,
"Occupy until I come."
00:15:45.54\00:15:49.68
As a Christian, you
want to plan for 1,000 years,
00:15:49.71\00:15:52.48
and live like you
might die tomorrow.
00:15:52.51\00:15:55.45
When it comes
to being a citizen,
00:15:55.48\00:15:56.95
don't just think
what's going to happen to me.
00:15:56.99\00:15:59.19
I don't know if you remember
the story in the Bible where
00:15:59.22\00:16:01.06
Hezekiah, he was sick,
and God work a miracle,
00:16:01.09\00:16:06.16
he healed him, and
to prove the miracle,
00:16:06.19\00:16:08.30
the sun went
backward 10 degrees.
00:16:08.33\00:16:10.13
How many of you remember that?
00:16:10.17\00:16:11.47
Isaiah 39, it's also in the
Book of Kings and Chronicles.
00:16:11.50\00:16:16.10
Then the ambassadors came from
Babylon to find out about their
00:16:16.14\00:16:19.87
God that had done
this, the Jewish God.
00:16:19.91\00:16:22.24
And instead of Hezekiah
showing them the God of Israel,
00:16:22.28\00:16:26.21
he showed them all his stuff.
00:16:26.25\00:16:27.75
Showed them his treasures,
and his armory, and his jewels.
00:16:27.78\00:16:30.35
And Isaiah came to
him later and said,
00:16:30.39\00:16:32.75
"What did they
see in your house?"
00:16:32.79\00:16:34.09
He said, "Oh, I
showed them all my stuff."
00:16:34.12\00:16:35.42
He said, "You
didn't show them God?"
00:16:35.46\00:16:36.86
"No."
00:16:36.89\00:16:39.09
He said, "Thus sayeth the
Lord, the day's coming when the
00:16:39.13\00:16:41.80
Babylonians will come, and
they're going to take your sons
00:16:41.83\00:16:43.97
and make them eunuchs
in the palace of Babylon."
00:16:44.00\00:16:47.60
That's like Daniel,
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.
00:16:47.64\00:16:49.80
They're going to
take all your treasures.
00:16:49.84\00:16:51.21
Everything you showed them
is going to get carried off.
00:16:51.24\00:16:53.17
They're going to
take your treasure.
00:16:53.21\00:16:54.51
Do you know what Hezekiah said?
00:16:54.54\00:16:56.88
"Good is the Word of the Lord.
00:16:56.91\00:16:58.61
At least there will
be peace in my day."
00:16:58.65\00:17:00.55
Now, is that the right attitude?
"At least I'm healthy*."
00:17:00.58\00:17:05.79
And so, when
you're thinking about,
00:17:05.82\00:17:08.69
"Well, you know, I
don't care about what the
00:17:08.72\00:17:10.99
government does
with the environment.
00:17:11.03\00:17:12.33
As long as I still
have resources in my day."
00:17:12.36\00:17:16.03
Now, don't take a
political view in that.
00:17:16.06\00:17:18.83
I guess it's hard not to, huh?
00:17:18.87\00:17:22.34
But the idea
who you're electing,
00:17:22.37\00:17:24.97
you need to also be thinking,
00:17:25.01\00:17:26.81
"What if I have
kids and grandkids?
00:17:26.84\00:17:29.68
What kind of
world will they have?"
00:17:29.71\00:17:31.21
Should you care as a Christian?
00:17:31.25\00:17:34.88
Think about the reason you're
free now is because people died
00:17:34.92\00:17:37.55
for your freedoms in World
War I, in World War II, right?
00:17:37.59\00:17:42.59
And so, people did
invest. And people did vote.
00:17:42.62\00:17:46.39
And so, there were principles
that have kept us free,
00:17:46.43\00:17:49.26
and I think we ought to be
concerned about those things.
00:17:49.30\00:17:53.44
Voting for the right principles
demonstrates we care about
00:17:53.47\00:17:56.27
who our leaders are.
00:17:56.30\00:17:58.04
1 Timothy 2, verse 1 and
2, "Therefore I exhort you
00:17:58.07\00:18:01.28
first of all that
supplications and prayers,
00:18:01.31\00:18:04.05
intercession, and giving
of thanks be made for all men,
00:18:04.08\00:18:07.15
for kings and all
who are in authority,
00:18:07.18\00:18:09.92
that we might lead a
quiet and peaceable life
00:18:09.95\00:18:13.05
in goodness and reverence."
00:18:13.09\00:18:14.39
We should care that we might
have a quiet and peaceable life.
00:18:14.42\00:18:18.63
Let me read something to
you from Tubaio page 115,
00:18:18.66\00:18:23.23
"Christians should always submit
to government authority as long
00:18:23.26\00:18:26.77
as the laws do not
violate the commandments of God
00:18:26.80\00:18:30.34
or a biblical principle.
00:18:30.37\00:18:32.54
The act of voting, when
exercised on behalf of justice,
00:18:32.57\00:18:36.71
humanity, and right
is in itself blameless,
00:18:36.75\00:18:40.38
and may be at
times highly proper."
00:18:40.42\00:18:44.75
You know, Mark Twain, who
was not a Christian--he waffled
00:18:44.79\00:18:47.99
between being agnostic,
atheist, and Christian.
00:18:48.02\00:18:51.26
If you read his
writings, he freely admits that.
00:18:51.29\00:18:53.93
Here's what he said, "A
Christian's first duty is to
00:18:53.96\00:18:56.70
God, and it follows as a matter
of course that his duty to carry
00:18:56.73\00:19:00.50
out his Christian code to
the polls and devote them.
00:19:00.54\00:19:03.17
If Christians should vote
their duty to God at the polls,
00:19:03.20\00:19:06.51
they would carry every
election, and do it with ease.
00:19:06.54\00:19:13.18
It would bring about a
moral revolution that would
00:19:13.21\00:19:15.38
be incalculably beneficent.
00:19:15.42\00:19:18.59
It would save the country."
00:19:18.62\00:19:19.99
That's what Mark Twain said.
00:19:20.02\00:19:23.76
"It's a privilege. If not
exercised, it can be lost."
00:19:23.79\00:19:26.86
Voting is a privilege
that has been hard won.
00:19:26.90\00:19:31.43
You know, a lot of
countries don't have the freedom
00:19:31.47\00:19:33.30
that we have.
00:19:33.34\00:19:34.64
Since America, more and more
countries have had democratic
00:19:34.67\00:19:38.27
representation, and there have
been many wars that have been
00:19:38.31\00:19:41.34
fought, a lot of blood that has
been shed to give the right of
00:19:41.38\00:19:44.25
the vote to the people.
00:19:44.28\00:19:45.71
You've heard the expression,
"If you don't use it,
00:19:45.75\00:19:48.68
you may lose it."
00:19:48.72\00:19:50.35
I don't know if you're aware
that during the deliberations
00:19:50.39\00:19:54.32
concerning the constitutional
convention in 1787,
00:19:54.36\00:19:57.73
they were held
in strict secrecy.
00:19:57.76\00:19:59.63
So consequentially,
while that was happening,
00:19:59.66\00:20:01.50
all the citizens had their
ears to the window and the door
00:20:01.53\00:20:04.17
to find out what the
founding fathers were going
00:20:04.20\00:20:05.90
to come up with.
00:20:05.93\00:20:07.24
I know the declaration was
1776, but the constitutional
00:20:07.27\00:20:10.64
convention was 1787.
00:20:10.67\00:20:12.87
One lady in
Philadelphia named Powell,
00:20:12.91\00:20:15.44
when they opened the
doors and they came out,
00:20:15.48\00:20:17.08
she said right away to
Franklin, "Dr. Franklin,
00:20:17.11\00:20:20.52
what kind of
government are you giving us,
00:20:20.55\00:20:22.15
a monarchy or a republic?"
00:20:22.18\00:20:24.65
And without even
hesitation, he said,
00:20:24.69\00:20:27.36
"A republic, madam,
if you can keep it."
00:20:27.39\00:20:31.06
If you can keep it.
00:20:31.09\00:20:32.86
Because he recognized that
the tendency of corruption in
00:20:32.89\00:20:36.13
government, they'll
want to monopolize the power.
00:20:36.16\00:20:39.33
And if we don't use
the vote, you lose it.
00:20:39.37\00:20:43.37
Not voting is
actually a form of voting,
00:20:43.41\00:20:46.34
as it will
influence the outcome.
00:20:46.37\00:20:48.21
We need to take
responsibility for our actions
00:20:48.24\00:20:52.58
and our inactions.
00:20:52.61\00:20:54.42
I've heard people say,
"Well I'm afraid to vote because
00:20:54.45\00:20:57.59
then I might be linked
to anything these people
00:20:57.62\00:20:59.29
do wrong in office."
00:20:59.32\00:21:01.19
Well, you also might
be linked bnot voting.
00:21:01.22\00:21:04.69
And so, that idea of just
omitting responsibility makes me
00:21:04.73\00:21:10.10
think about that
parable in Luke 10.
00:21:10.13\00:21:12.10
It says, "Now by chance
a man fell among thieves,
00:21:12.13\00:21:15.14
and a priest walked by.
00:21:15.17\00:21:16.47
And he saw that a crime
had just been committed."
00:21:16.50\00:21:18.47
And he thought, "Well, I
don't want to get involved."
00:21:18.51\00:21:21.51
"And he passed by
on the other side."
00:21:21.54\00:21:24.18
And I don't believe that
Christians should always be
00:21:24.21\00:21:27.28
crossing the road and passing
by when policies and leadership
00:21:27.32\00:21:32.19
is being chosen.
00:21:32.22\00:21:33.72
I think as far as possible,
we ought to pray for wisdom,
00:21:33.76\00:21:36.02
and make intelligent choices,
and do what will be the best for
00:21:36.06\00:21:39.49
the proclamation of the gospel.
00:21:39.53\00:21:42.46
Jesus said,
"Occupy until I come."
00:21:42.50\00:21:45.00
They were--you know,
sometimes Jesus said,
00:21:45.03\00:21:47.90
"He who is not with
me," this is Luke 11:23,
00:21:47.94\00:21:50.24
"is against me.
00:21:50.27\00:21:51.57
He who does not
gather with me scatters."
00:21:51.61\00:21:52.94
You might say, "I
don't want to get involved."
00:21:52.97\00:21:54.28
Jesus says, "No, you can't.
00:21:54.31\00:21:55.61
Sometimes, you
have to be involved."
00:21:55.64\00:21:56.95
And as a citizen in a country
where things are happening,
00:21:56.98\00:22:00.12
I think sometimes--I'm not
talking about campaigning and
00:22:00.15\00:22:02.55
getting involved in policies,
but at least use that one vote
00:22:02.58\00:22:07.06
that you've got for
policies and principles of good.
00:22:07.09\00:22:10.76
Edmond Burke said, "All that is
required for evil to prevail is
00:22:10.79\00:22:16.60
for good men to do nothing."
00:22:16.63\00:22:21.44
One of the things about voting
we shouldn't pass by quickly
00:22:21.47\00:22:24.37
is that voting supports
the equality of all people
00:22:24.41\00:22:28.14
and their right to speak.
00:22:28.18\00:22:31.11
That's something that is
very valuable for Christians.
00:22:31.15\00:22:33.92
Deuteronomy 10, verse 17,
"For the Lord your God is God
00:22:33.95\00:22:38.59
of gods, a Lord of
lords, a great and awesome,
00:22:38.62\00:22:41.86
who shows no
partiality or takes bribes.
00:22:41.89\00:22:45.96
He administers justice for
the fatherless and the widow.
00:22:45.99\00:22:49.03
He loves the stranger,
giving him food and clothing."
00:22:49.06\00:22:52.10
Rich and poor,
doesn't matter to God.
00:22:52.13\00:22:54.44
Acts 17, "And he has made of one
blood all nations of men for to
00:22:54.47\00:22:59.37
dwell on the face of the earth,
and has determined their times
00:22:59.41\00:23:02.28
before appointed in the
bounds of the habitation."
00:23:02.31\00:23:05.11
Acts 10:34, "Peter
opened his mouth and said,
00:23:05.15\00:23:08.45
'Of a truth I perceive that
God is no respecter of persons.
00:23:08.48\00:23:11.99
But in every nation, he
that fears him and works
00:23:12.02\00:23:15.29
righteousness is
accepted with him.'"
00:23:15.32\00:23:17.89
One of the things
amazing about America
00:23:17.93\00:23:20.46
and the vote is
that every person,
00:23:20.50\00:23:22.93
assuming you're
old enough to vote,
00:23:22.96\00:23:24.43
because it is an important
decision and you need to be
00:23:24.47\00:23:26.43
informed, everyone gets a vote.
00:23:26.47\00:23:31.07
It doesn't matter
what your race is,
00:23:31.11\00:23:32.81
doesn't matter
what your gender is,
00:23:32.84\00:23:34.98
doesn't matter how
much money you have.
00:23:35.01\00:23:36.38
A millionaire doesn't
get two votes, gets one vote.
00:23:36.41\00:23:39.18
Poor person, one vote.
00:23:39.21\00:23:42.95
That says something about
the equality of every human
00:23:42.98\00:23:46.52
that I think is precious.
00:23:46.55\00:23:48.72
I'll close with an amazing fact.
00:23:48.76\00:23:50.93
You know I like history.
00:23:50.96\00:23:52.66
When the Lewis and
Clark expedition went,
00:23:52.69\00:23:56.73
they were sent by Thomas
Jefferson across the United
00:23:56.77\00:23:58.97
States in like 1803 to 1805.
00:23:59.00\00:24:03.87
Theyere looking at land
they'd never seen before.
00:24:03.91\00:24:06.54
And after incredible
struggles, they finally made it.
00:24:06.57\00:24:09.24
They thought they
were going to take a boat
00:24:09.28\00:24:10.58
all the way to the Pacific.
00:24:10.61\00:24:11.91
They had to carry their
boat over the mountains,
00:24:11.95\00:24:13.25
and finally abandon the boat,
and nearly starved to death
00:24:13.28\00:24:15.92
getting over the
Rockies and the Sierras,
00:24:15.95\00:24:18.52
and came down into the valley
up there in Southern Washington.
00:24:18.55\00:24:23.66
And they had to
decide, "We're going to have to
00:24:23.69\00:24:29.30
spend the winter here."
00:24:29.33\00:24:30.97
They said, "Do we
spend--" There were 33 of them,
00:24:31.00\00:24:34.44
including captains
Clark--Meriwether Lewis
00:24:34.47\00:24:37.97
and William Clark.
00:24:38.01\00:24:39.61
And they said, "Do
we stay on the coast,
00:24:39.64\00:24:42.81
where we might see a
ship, probably a little warmer
00:24:42.84\00:24:45.81
climate, but it's
going to rain more,
00:24:45.85\00:24:47.52
we're going to
be wet all the time?
00:24:47.55\00:24:48.88
We don't know if
there will be more food here
00:24:48.92\00:24:50.22
or more food inland.
00:24:50.25\00:24:51.55
And really they
said, "If we're inland,
00:24:51.59\00:24:52.99
we're not going to see if a
ship comes to get supplies."
00:24:53.02\00:24:55.89
There are very few ships that
came through back in the 1800s
00:24:55.92\00:24:59.03
because, I mean, they
hadn't even settled California.
00:24:59.06\00:25:00.93
And they said,
"Well, what do we do?"
00:25:00.96\00:25:03.33
They said, "Let's vote."
00:25:03.37\00:25:05.63
And so, there were 33 of them.
00:25:05.67\00:25:09.10
There was an Indian
girl named Sacajawea.
00:25:09.14\00:25:12.47
There was a slave named York.
Captain Clark, Captain Lewis.
00:25:12.51\00:25:18.11
And they said,
"Everybody gets one vote."
00:25:18.15\00:25:20.55
And that was the first time in
American history basically that
00:25:20.58\00:25:23.35
they had equality for everybody
because slaves did not get a
00:25:23.39\00:25:26.89
vote right away, women did
not get the vote right away.
00:25:26.92\00:25:29.42
That was the first time.
00:25:29.46\00:25:31.53
And they all voted. They
said, "Let's stay on the coast."
00:25:31.56\00:25:33.80
All but one said,
"Let's stay on the coast."
00:25:33.83\00:25:35.13
But they all went
with the popular vote.
00:25:35.16\00:25:37.97
And the neat thing is, because
they stayed together as one
00:25:38.00\00:25:41.20
unit, they all survived the
trip there and the trip back.
00:25:41.24\00:25:46.14
Someone said once, "If you
want to go fast, you go alone.
00:25:46.17\00:25:50.65
But if you want to go
far, you go together."
00:25:50.68\00:25:54.05
And so, I don't know about
you, but I'd like to go far.
00:25:54.08\00:25:57.22
And so, we need to go together.
00:25:57.25\00:25:59.95
Remembering principally that we
are citizens of a better kingdom
00:26:00.06\00:26:04.03
than any that's in
the world today, amen?
00:26:04.06\00:26:06.19
Doug: You know,
friends, everyone is interested
00:26:10.67\00:26:12.07
in what the Bible
says about the future.
00:26:12.10\00:26:14.60
And we know Bible prophecy
talks about some of the ancient
00:26:14.64\00:26:17.47
kingdoms like
Babylon, Medo-Persia, Rome.
00:26:17.51\00:26:20.78
But you might be surprised
to learn the Book of Revelation
00:26:20.81\00:26:23.48
in chapter 13
talks very specifically
00:26:23.51\00:26:26.38
about the United
States of America.
00:26:26.41\00:26:29.18
And we have a study
guide that explains it all.
00:26:29.22\00:26:31.85
We'll make it
available to you for free.
00:26:31.89\00:26:33.92
If you'd like to
get this free resource,
00:26:33.96\00:26:35.56
visit amazingfacts.org, or call
the phone number on your screen
00:26:35.59\00:26:40.56
and ask for offer number 181.
00:26:40.60\00:26:43.47
And once you
get your free offer,
00:26:43.50\00:26:44.97
make sure and read it, and
then share it with someone else
00:26:45.00\00:26:48.34
because God's
message is our mission.
00:26:48.37\00:26:50.57
announcer: Can't get enough
"Amazing Facts" Bible study?
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You don't have to wait
until next week to enjoy more
00:26:55.01\00:26:57.48
truth-filled programming.
00:26:57.51\00:26:59.08
Visit the "Amazing Facts"
media library at aftv.org.
00:26:59.11\00:27:04.25
At aftv.org, you can enjoy
video and audio presentations,
00:27:04.29\00:27:09.16
as well as printed material, all
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7 days a week right from
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00:27:13.60\00:27:17.27
Visit aftv.org.
00:27:17.30\00:27:20.27
announcer: "Amazing
Facts" began in 1965
00:27:27.11\00:27:30.31
with a God-inspired concept.
00:27:30.35\00:27:33.08
Joe Cruz: Hello, this is
Joe Cruz on the "Amazing Facts"
00:27:33.11\00:27:35.58
broadcast, facts
which affect you.
00:27:35.62\00:27:38.19
announcer: Each radio
broadcast would begin with an
00:27:38.22\00:27:40.59
amazing fact
from science, nature,
00:27:40.62\00:27:43.16
or history, followed by a Bible
message that touched the hearts
00:27:43.19\00:27:46.80
of listeners from
every walk of life.
00:27:46.83\00:27:49.50
The program was
an instant success,
00:27:49.53\00:27:52.50
and the ministry soon
began expanding to include
00:27:52.53\00:27:55.04
Bible lessons.
00:27:55.07\00:27:56.60
In 1986, Amazing Facts added
the medium of television to its
00:27:56.64\00:28:00.78
growing outreach
efforts, offering soul-winning
00:28:00.81\00:28:03.88
evangelistic messages
for viewers around the world.
00:28:03.91\00:28:07.95
In 1994, Pastor Doug Batchelor
assumed leadership of the
00:28:07.98\00:28:12.15
ministry, adding the
Bible Answers Live call-in radio
00:28:12.19\00:28:15.76
program, and new ministry
TV programs began airing on
00:28:15.79\00:28:19.43
multiple
networks around the world.
00:28:19.46\00:28:22.10
For 50 years, the driving vision
of Amazing Facts has been the
00:28:22.13\00:28:27.04
bold proclamation of
the everlasting gospel.
00:28:27.07\00:28:30.37
And with a team of
evangelists circling the globe,
00:28:30.41\00:28:33.01
and thousands of men and
women being trained through the
00:28:33.04\00:28:35.98
Amazing Facts Center
of Evangelism program,
00:28:36.01\00:28:38.78
AFCOE, the ministry
is helping God's church
00:28:38.81\00:28:41.98
see a rich harvest of souls.
00:28:42.02\00:28:44.49
Amazing Facts, God's
message, our mission.
00:28:44.52\00:28:49.96
[music]
00:28:49.99\00:28:52.83
[music]
00:28:52.93\00:29:02.87
[music]
00:29:02.90\00:29:12.88
[music]
00:29:12.91\00:29:22.42
announcer: This
presentation was brought to you
00:29:22.46\00:29:23.89
by the friends of the
Amazing Facts Ministry.
00:29:23.93\00:29:26.43