God's Election Advice - Part 1

President Ronald Reagan one time told the story of when he was a teenager, he needed a new pair of boots made. In those days, you couldn’t just go to a shoe store, you went to the shoemaker shop. The cobbler asked the young man- “Do you want blunt end toes or pointed end toes?” Reagan shrugged his shoulders and said, “I don’t care, whatever you think.” When the boots were ready, Reagan examined his new boots and looked at the toes. One of them was flat, the other boot was pointed. Reagan said, “How can I wear a pair of boots like this?” The cobbler said, “You said you didn’t care.” From that day on, Ronald Reagan said “If you don’t make a decision about the things that matter the most to you, somebody else is going to make them for you.”

In five weeks and two days we will need to make some decisions that will affect us the next four years and probably beyond. Election day is November 8th. Some of you will vote. Some of you will not. Those of you who vote may not like the outcome. Those of you who do not vote will be forced to live with the outcome.

It seems that we have come down to two choices. I suppose one could write in a name or vote for third party candidate but we all know that it will be one of those two who will be our next president. These support of these two candidates have been divisive. Friends and families have suffered broken relationships over bitter arguments about these two. Even the church has become divided with some denominations leaning strongly toward one or the other.

The Sun Sentinel ran an editorial listing 5 reasons to vote for Hillary Clinton.

• Hillary has the depth of knowledge and breadth of foreign policy experience to reassure our allies and make our enemies worry.

• Hillary has the temperament and judgment required of a president.

• Hillary's economic policies – which include tax hikes on the wealthiest individuals and corporations as well as rate relief for student loans – focus on helping the middle class.

• Hillary's Supreme Court appointees will protect women's rights, LGBT rights and voting rights. .

• Hillary admits her mistakes – such as voting for the Iraq war and careless handing of State Department emails – which means she can learn from her mistakes.

Cleveland .com listed 5 reasons to vote for Donald Trump.

He's bold. Trump speaks with gusto. He says what's on his mind. He calls it like it is. The United States needs a president who speaks the truth and doesn't care about being politically correct. He's brutally honest: about immigration, about terrorism and about jobs. He voices the fears, worries and concerns of voters.

He's a businessman. Trump serves as an executive for more than 500 companies, according to the Washington Post. He will cut good deals for the United States.

He's not part of the Republican establishment. Trump won't maintain the Republican status quo. He's bringing fresh perspectives and ideas to the GOP. He's destroying the power structure. He's mixing it up.

He can't be bought. Trump is, for the most part, paying for his campaign out of his own pocket. Rich power players can't buy Trump off to support pet issues. Influencers can't demand action in exchange for money.

He's a job creator. He's created 34,000 jobs as a businessman, according to a September CNN analysis. And he plans to negotiate with China to bring more American jobs back. He wants to lower corporate tax rates to entice American companies to keep jobs in the United States.

The race between these two seem to be evenly matched. So who ever wins will find half the nation standing against them. Sadly this will be true in the church also. And sadly this goes against God’s instructions for us.

Romans 13:1-2 “Everyone must submit to governing authorities. For all authority comes from God, and those in positions of authority have been placed there by God. So anyone who rebels against authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and they will be punished.”

Does this mean that God decides who will be the next president? Absolutely not. We will choose that person based on our voting. Remember, these two came from a field of many that we allowed to get to this position by us allowing, or not allowing, our voices to be heard. God never intended for Saul to be the king of Israel but He gave the people what they wanted.

And when it comes to President Obama many feel that he has ruined this country. It seems his health care program has become a disaster. There has been massive reductions in our military. He has attacked the institution of marriage. He has failed in taking terrorism head on. We currently as a nation have a 19 trillion dollar debt. He refuses to support immigration laws. How can God expect us to be in submission to this weakened government?