i have said over and over again that rarely do you hear me talk about politics i might throw a little jab in every once in a while but i don't talk about politics with a paul because i believe the puppets for the word of god i want to be shared later on in the message i'm going to be sharing scripture because i don't think you  message without scripture but i believe that we have an election coming up that you should know how you should vote as christians and when i say how you should vote some of you right off the bat say oh my goodness pastor richie got down here to vote for president is not in a political party now can we pray for the christ to be involved with them political party absolutely what would happen of both the republican party the democratic party reflected the principles foun reward but who's president because they be representing god in some way some form but out of it that the truth is i think one party leans more towards biblical principles i think another party leans anti biblical principles but way because we're to obey the authorities to have a range that we should volt is about being a good citizen second reason we should vote we live in a democracy where we as americans are the govern we have a duty to exercise our responsibilities if christians do not get involved in being the government authority when it comes elected officials others will become involved with promoting on biblical values if your people and your says the united states of america your job you role is to have a say so over what government does if christians don't have a say so in politics who has a say so not christians is there good atheist goes on and on and on so i'm not saying that if a non christian votes that means it's the end of america but a non christian who does not believe in what the bible teaches is going to vote and put up candidates that believe something against what we believe and we live in a country where we have the right version number c says because if you do not vote you have no right to complain about who's elected can we all agree on that and i think we all agree if you don't vote don't complain about who became a game in office because you didn't do it then a change that k d this is important why do we voters christians because many thousands have died so that you may have the right to vote you understand that so if we had the freedom and the right to vote why would we not do that when people died so we don't have that right now this one either listen to this why she christians vote because many live in other countries where they have no right to is a total mockery so what i say many don't have the right to vote or vote is a mockery what does it mean is a mockery because when they vote that it means nothing their vote means nothing i know some us americans feel that way now ok but  other countries as it means nothing and then i put you know what the mockery is there are twenty two million christians the do not vote in elections think about that for a second twenty two million christians don't vote do you know are how many elections that there's just sometimes just thousands a difference who wins and then we want to blame america and we want to blame other people we want to say you know america is so bad look up bad it is well twenty two million christians did stab a say so and how america would be and what if i say in this room there could be a few of them there would be a few that make up that twenty two million well look so hopeless i mean who we go to vote for you know i had somebody tell me they vote for themselves because they can't vote for the other person you still voted you still showed up at the polls you did something and if i is supposed to say if you don't if you are  convicted you cannot support any candidate you put yourself that you're still voting you're saying i vote no for both of them and that is a vote don't let people tell you if you don't vote for the one guy you're voting for the other what kind of math is that i vote no one person i vote no and two people how many no votes is that two how many yes votes is that zero so why does somebody say if you don't vote for somebody then you're voting for the other guy f because of without voting decisions are made by brute force or by hereditary what does that mean look at any other country that doesn't have votes who wins who becomes in power the one that's the strongest the most powerful or headed terry because your father was the king you're the king gee because what happens here on earth does matter you know some christians say i don't vote because it really doesn't matter what goes on here  really it really doesn't matter it goes on in europe so we should just let this let the world do whatever it wants to do because i want to go to heaven anyways but you might get to heaven earlier if you let the world do whatever it wants to do because you're probably be a martyr so obviously it matters what goes on here on earth age because we'll be accountable to god for the simple choice or nation makes it refused to participate in political process  do we as christians have a say so we're goes on in our country do we have a right to vote when it comes to referendums to propositions when it comes to president congress governor mayors just is judges all that we have that right if we don't participate and take part in the right that god's given us and evil and sinful chases happen in this nation do you think that god will not judge that you think that god judges silence if i see somebody hurting denise and i do nothing and say nothing is that sin absolutely if somebody is killing on born babies and i'm not willing to even vote to somehow maybe limit how that happens then i am participating in that whether you agree with it or not that when you say nothing and do nothing when something should be said and done you are participating and what if i put voters biblical commands to fill responsible to civil authorities just told us to obey the civil authorities how should christians vote should do this or not do they claim to be born again if so does a character reflect it a person who claims to be a christian but lives the opposite is not going to be a trustworthy politician do you believe that if a person is running on a ticket that their biggest ticket is i'm a christian i'm running as a for president is i'm a christian i'm running as governor because i'm a christian and as a sinner because i'm a christian should you not see if they're a christian if a person claims to be a christian and they're not living a life as a christian as a public figure remember something if you're public figure you hold accountable a different way what you and i became a self as a christian but nobody sees us but if you claim the name of christ you're public figure and you live in totally different of that and he's running for office i want to trust that man what he says i'm a christian so i will support all the things you believe in what you don't even believe in it because you can even live the life of a christian as a public figure the next question to ask is their moral what is their moral and ethical behavior an ethical candidate is not going to be a person that can be trusted how many believe that when you put somebody off as you should trust them should that be a factor but you can trust them so if somebody is living a immoral and unethical law they'll listen to me is anybody ever been any day that you could call immoral sin so here's a people all the said time they say they love they say in this election they love the group that says it because the group is hypocritical as can be but this is what they say well you know of all the candidates say in all of them fall short so we can't really look at how they behave or act as we all fall short maybe they made a mistake if they cheated ten times what do you think would you not call them evil and so the argument is that no we can't look by people's behavior but when they look at the other candidate what do they do they look at their behavior and bring it up all the time ok and more that what about an ethical should you ever have a person that's unethical so if somebody lies to get money is that an ethical if somebody says i will i will vote this way if you give me money is that an ethical if somebody has people that work for them and they rip them off is that an ethical if somebody is a compulsive liar is that an ethical everybody falls short we're not talking about that you know this other people say what you just want to vote for jesus you know what the how the ridiculous that argument is so the reality is yes that ties we have to vote for flawed people because i know everybody that's running for office is flawed but do we did just remove the standards because how many know many times people reduce the standards and remove the standards because they person supports their cause but person supports your cause on the ethical how did you know that they'll defend your cause here's what else christians should do oh by the way i did put their guess would regard to their political beliefs a dishonest unethical politician cannot be trusted and an unethical immoral christian politician can't be trusted either is every understand that asked the following question about the  their life experiences show their good leaders when that makes sense if you're voting for president senator or governor mayor whatever it is justice should their life reflect that they're a leader be i think critical and if they have no experience in leading what do you think so a person has no experience of leading would it be wise to vote for that person normally you want to be but if i have an  an ethical politician has all kinds experience and i have jeff who has no political experience whatsoever and he's not much of a leader but he has godly character and he receives golly counsel who would i jeppe for i would go vote for the guy that is all the experience as an ethical is that makes sense hopefully do they have evidence of success their life are not in amazing success stick it out mentality there is that put this is because i have to be careful with that do we want somebody that's running for political office to have some kind of success in their life their failure and we want to miss pres our president no but there's a b because abraham lincoln anybody know abraham lincoln i think is one the prep best presidents there isn't he had flaws too he was first off he was depressed most of his life and if you know stuart you know why he lost everything maybe they don't have success but they have a stick to lives that makes them successful bassman remember talk is cheap remember talk is cheap anybody can say you know what if i've been living for ten years a certain way and i start talking a different way you better know why i changed it was that what i mean so if for ten years i have a position on this and in the next election cycle i have the position here what brought that conversion a conviction there was a poll i should christians vote what about career politicians sometimes are the best option but one of ways to stop politicians being career politicians stop voting for career politicians if you catch that now why do i put that you need to be careful how many know that a career politician like times gets out of touch with what america's going through where the abt in order per politician is the most of the time in the ivory tower there in washington d c they're not where you and i live is there's a second thing most compromise over and over again because a strong lobbyist many times there bob do you believe that do you believe that if somebody is in office maybe as a senator for twenty years if you go over twenty years time maybe somebody is body next thing it told a different concept where do they stand on the issues does the candidates support the issues causes policies that are contrary to biblical principles you have to look and say where are the add on the issues so if the bible teaches something is said of the bible teach and something is wrong and somebody says that you know we think it's ok for us you know we don't want ten commandments and in  courthouse as we have we want to have booted there instead ok if you think that's a biblical issue do you feel comfortable doesn't courthouses to be honest i don't care one way or the other because i don't care and i don't believe in the buddha he's an idol but my argument is if you get to have buddha i get to have think i'm ailments that would be where i would be at at the position but if somebody stands something is totally contrary why would you vote for them if they continue to be contrary and one issue after another issue a another issue so as much as you look at their character get to look at the issues that they're involved in are they a political comedian based on who is in the audience and we know it a political comedian is a political comedian is a change based upon what the polls say they change upon what the audience is can you trust a person who's a political camillia so if their live shows at that they keep changing positions all the time that something you need to consider next one they talk about where they stand the issues realize no candidate is going to have the same position as you on all the issues if they are christian you have to decide on what issues you're not willing to compromise on yet at the same time up on the issues the closest to where you believe and maybe the certain issues that you won't been done but if you're looking for the perfect candidate you will never vote never vote if you look for the can they support every issue they believe in you'll never vote  scripture abortion how many believe abortion is murder it ought to raise your hand but if you believe abortion is murder how can you support a candidate that believes abortion up to nine months is ok how can you vote even if you believe in abortion how can you believe in abortion and vote for a candidate is says i believe that a baby and nine months could still be aborted how could you vote for somebody like that as a christian for me that say that that's enough of an issue i can't go for that person i will give on that one others i will give one well it is god talk anything about abortion i could give you several verses of his give you one concept is prover swift to run a mischief in a false witness that lies and still shows discord in verse seventeen that god hates hands that shed innocent blood who's more innocent than a baby in a womb another one that i want to give you some people don't or their perfect country is america perfect country do you support american spite of it not being a perfect country support israel despite not being a perfect country they're surrounded by enemies and come israel is not destroyed with all the enemies against them there are four or five countries around the says they should not exist as a nation and as a people should not exist and they're not destroyed maybe there's a favor of god on them i believe as a christian if a politician says i'm against israel and i and i was for the muslim countries that are around israel i think you have to consider them what about pro debt reduction a candidate that is pro debt reduction that wants to reduce the deficit can christians care about deficits is  that an issue that christians should be concerned about well this look at proverbs twenty two seven see it proverbs twenty two seven says twenty two seven the ritual of the over the poor and the bar or is servant to the lender when you borrow money who are you a servant to the person who borrow money if our nation continues to have a deficit in the days to get deeper and deeper in the hall it means we're borrowing money who we borrow money from is anybody know china one of our biggest enemies so a politician says i'm a do this this this this this this this this and this yet ask yourself how do they do that what are the use money where is the money come from one of two ways you print it up which creates a deficit or are you raise taxes there's only how about a pro work candidate should be bro for a candidate that believes in getting jobs what do you think do you think we should go for a can they don't find any way possible to get people jobs here's what the second testimony is three ten says for even when we were with you this is what we commanded you that if any would not work neither should the i be something was happening in that culture what you think was probably happening they see people probably right so obviously it doesn't play fair but he says if you don't work you don't eat those that mean that if people don't work we should starve them to death does it say that we shouldn't feed the poor because what jesus say feed the poor is in prison all those different things but what the print principle is if there is a president that is due to everything to keep people on welfare then is that the president that you want if there's a senator that believes keeping a button will fair is that what you want here's a reason why how many no welfare mentality keeps you stuck and so a president or a candidate that would turn around and does everything to say we need to give out more will fair we need to give out more this more dis more of this more this and never has they're doing that as a punish evil i'm not going to do for sake of time you go to romans thirteen talks all about that that god raises up leaders to do what is says that let god raise up leaders for our protection he uses the leaders to discipline for protection now we know our system is messed know it doesn't always work the way it's supposed to work and we know sometimes you get bad leaders but the bible says that god puts people as leaders and brings government to bring good and it come against evil so when you're voting for somebody should they not follow that principle so if somebody there says you know what any criminal has been after seven years in prison we should let him go because it's cruel and unusual punishment the president turns around our president or government official as a politician that turn around and is weak on crime you think as a christian you should vote for a politician is weak on crime you have to ask yourself that god says that the purpose for the politicians is to control crime to control evil that's what their burke their their politicization is what about when a matter what they speak while not a racist but i just don't like black people but i have one good black friend so i'm not racist when somebody says that's something you have to consider anti terrorism which can a page appears to support america's enemies and which can they have strong policy to protect america romans thirteen again this is a government there to protect us so if you have a candidate deads weak on terrorism you have a candid as we can dealing with the with our enemies that's something to consider so what we have to do is christians in the midst of all this or something that we have to do next like first have to  should be crying about the state of the nation of america it should break our heart we should be crying out to god god have mercy on america no matter who you put in as president please have mercy on america sure the first thing the second thing is we should pray we should pray there's hard decisions that we need to make when it comes to what candidate to vote for and some decisions that really does feel like as the lesser of two evils but we need to pray we need to s let the word drive us and we have to do is to be able to weigh the issues that say which which leader that you feel was the person that you would have as president and i would say that sometimes we have to say we don't believe in the either and if we don't believe in neither i think we still vote because you still need to vote for every person every other position there is so if you can vote for a president can you vote for lieutenant governor can you vote for justices still gold just don't vote for the ones you campbell for and in the end of the day how you vote is between you and god just make sure you got of talked about it because of you and him haven't talked about it you're probably not voting is will and out of it am i know in the end god's going to decide the outcome because in the end god is sovereign and i personally believe that both candidates are going to bring us into persecution how they both prick candidates are not going to make america rise i know one runs on that campaign make america great no president can change that that's the body of christ you have been listening to there is so with pastor richard over through jesus christ we can live a victorious life seattle open door church located in committed to loving god loving people and loving life seattle open door church once you know that regardless of where you've been or what you've done god loves you there doors are open to anyone and everyone their services are sunday mornings at eleven seattle open door church is located at six twenty five south west one hundred forty ninth street in burey and next to the southwest courthouse