October 16, 2020 | Page 3

With So Much at Stake
October 16 , 2020

With So Much at Stake

Christians Must Vote on November 3

With the 2020 national election fast approaching on November 3 , I continue to hear folks saying that they are not going to vote .
What they don ’ t seem to understand is that if you refuse to vote , that is your vote . When any one of us is a no-show at the ballot box , the worse candidate is the one that has been helped . In a very real way , your vote counts whether or not you go to the polls . The question you must answer is whether or not you want your vote to help create the worst possible outcome .
If you think all the candidates are the same , you are greatly mistaken . Just look at the party platforms — they are as different as daylight and dark ( good and evil ). Those platforms are not perfect , but they give you a pretty good idea of what you are going to get if you vote for their candidates .
I have been to the polls on previous occasions through the years when I wasn ’ t particularly excited about my choices , but I went and I voted . On or before November 3 , I will again cast my vote ; and I will do so without hesitation . Here ’ s why .
1 . So much is at stake ! Our
Dr . Shelton Smith
country is in a supercolossal mess . We are teetering on the brink . Socially , economically and morally the last few years have brought us to the edge of the cliff where one wrong step could be totally disastrous .
With so much at stake , I will go vote !
2 . I love my country ! When I see the red , white and blue waving in the wind , I want to sing , “ Oh say , can you see ” and pledge my allegiance to “ one nation under God .”
I know something about our history and our heritage . I ’ m aware that the blood , sweat and tears of patriots handed me the freedom I ’ ve inherited . Whether I ’ m in the mountains , on the Great Plains or at the oceans , this beautiful land is my country . I am an American , I am a citizen and I am a patriot .
Because I love my country I will vote !
3 . I ’ m a Christian ! My Christian convictions and my moral scruples will not permit me to sit it out . As an ‘ ambassador for Christ ’ ( II Cor . 5:20 ), I have an obligation to “ be found faithful ” ( I Cor . 4:2 ). My Bible says that I am to “ adorn the
SWORD OF THE LORD 3
doctrine of God our Saviour in all things ” ( Titus 2:10 ).
I simply cannot remain silent in the midst of the crisis . My Christian witness must be expressed every day in whatever way that day affords .
Because I am a Christian , I will vote on or before November 3 .
4 . The Supreme Court will be reshaped by the incoming pres - ident ! With the death of Justice Ginsburg , there is currently a vacancy on the Court . During the next four years , several aging Justices will most likely be replaced .
When you vote for president , you are voting for the philosophic makeup of the Supreme Court and much of the federal judiciary . As we have seen on the marriage issue , what the liberals could never have won on an up-or-down vote at the ballot box , they won easily with so many liberal judges to do their bidding .
Because of the Supreme Court , I will vote !
5 . The liberal revolution is destroying us ! I ’ m not a liberal . I ’ m against liberals . Whoever they are and whatever they call them - selves , they are the enemies of America ; and they are my enemies .
Abortion ; infanticide ; euthanasia ; assisted suicide ; big government ; defunding the police ; sodomite marriage ; men in women ’ s rest - rooms ; the looting , burning and rioting in our cities — all of this is the handiwork of the liberal crowd !
If this liberal revolution continues
forward unabated , our country will not survive . We will lose our freedom , tyranny will replace our republic and the USA will be reduced to an ash heap . If you and I along with millions of Christians do not vote , the liberal crowd will win by default . And very frankly , the default will be our fault .
Because of the liberal revolution , I will go vote on or before No - vember 3 .
6 . One vote can be the decider ! With our nation so divided , the vote in many contests is often very , very close . The list of onevote victories across the nation is quite interesting . In other cases , the margin of victory is only a few dozen or a few hundred .
The presidential election of 1876 was settled by one vote of a special commission .
And you ’ ll remember the presi - dential election of 2000 where a handful of votes in Florida ( fewer than 175 ) and two decisions by the Supreme Court ( one of which was a 5-4 vote ) decided the outcome . Those decisions gave George W . Bush an electoral majority of 271 which was only one more than the required 270 .
Because one can be the decider , I will go cast my one vote !
7 . I refuse to give up ! I ’ m not a quitter . The day may be dark , but I ’ m an emissary of Him who is the Light of the World . I will not forfeit the birthright of my citizenship by refusing to vote . I will not forgo the privilege to vote simply because the candidates do not suit me perfectly .
So , count me in ! I will be there ! I will figure out who the worse candidate is and I will vote against him or her ! But believe you me , I will be there ready to do business on or before November 3 .
Because I refuse to give up , I will vote !
• • •
I ’ m well aware that the great need of our country is revival . I know that we need a generation of leather-lunged , Spirit-filled , Biblebelieving preachers to barnstorm across this country making converts .
I know that we need thousands of fundamental , doctrinally sound , soul-winning , separated churches who will have a compelling pres - ence in their towns .
I know we need to see a firefrom-Heaven revival break out across the land . I know these things are urgent and essential needs of our country . I pray and work dili - gently for them .
But let there be no mistake . If the liberals get their way and if our freedom is stripped from us , none — and I do mean none — of these things will be happening . If our freedom is gone , we will be driven into hiding ; and the work of God will be shut down across the nation .
So , please , folks , join me ! Go to the polls on or before November 3 and vote !
Vote for somebody ! Vote against somebody ! But be sure you vote ! Amen ! ❚
Editor ’ s Notes
■ Continued from p 2■
you will like a lot . Primarily in pictures , it features the history and the ongoing ministry of the Sword of the Lord .
If you have given to support the Sword of the Lord in 2020 , one will be sent to you . Otherwise , they are
1 – 9 $ 6.95 each 10 – 24 $ 5.95 each 25 + $ 4.95 each
Thanksgiving Pamphlet Available Now — 33 Pages , Beautiful Cover , Excellent Content
For the Thanksgiving season upcoming , we have selected and printed a tremendous piece by Dr . John R . Rice .
Entitled Rejoice Always with a subtitle of Living a Joyful Life , this is a pamphlet with excellent content ; and it is well presented with a full-color , slick cover .
This is vintage Dr . John R . Rice : warm , folksy , yet scriptural and compelling .
Dads or moms , order a big handful of them to give to each member of your family .
Pastors , order a quantity to give to everybody in attendance the Sunday before Thanksgiving . It will add a measure of influence to your efforts with your people and your visitors .
Personally , I have purchased fifty copies that I will give out here in town during the Thanksgiving season . Many of you could also do that and be “ a missionary ” in your town .
Here are the details for ordering : Call customer service ( 800-247- 9673 ) or go online at swordbooks . com . Pricing per copy :
1 – 9 $ 1.00 each 10 – 74 $ 0.80 each 75 – 99 $ 0.70 each 150 + $ 0.60 each
Please call for shipping costs before sending payment . Call , write ( P . O . Box 1099 , Murfrees boro , TN 37133- 1099 ) or order online . Our Sword workers are ready now to serve you .
Madison Baptist Church Madison , Alabama
Dr . Mike Allison needed to be away for a Sunday , so he asked me to preach both morning services for him . Huntsville and Madison are just 100 miles south of us , so it is an easy trip . I always enjoy being at Madison Baptist Church ; and this time , as always , was a blessing to me .
They are continuing to have
two morning services , two night services and two Spanish services every Sunday in their main audi - torium .
Jeff Smith , their soul-winning director , announced that through - out the summer with the COVID restrictions they have been hanging church materials on doorknobs . They have placed those materials in 8,000 homes so far . Several people have been reached and are at the church now as a result . Starting this week , they are focusing on new move-ins .
Brother Allison has done a superb job of organizing things and keeping the ministry functioning during the stresses of 2020 .
If you live in the Huntsville area , or if you visit there , be sure you visit Madison Baptist Church .
Praying for the Nation Each and Every Day
With the national elections on the docket for November 3 and with so much at stake , we need to pray and pray often .
The nation is deeply divided and it is not just a division over per - sonalities . The basic foundational principles of our nation and the basic mores of our society are being trashed and profaned in an effort to dismantle our republic and replace it with a socialist state .
All of that is cause for alarm and for action . God ’ s people need to pray fervently during these days .
Noteworthy News
■ Continued from p 2 ■
California Law Requires Placement of Prisoners According to Their “ Gender Identity ”
California Governor Gavin Newsom ( D ) signed a new law … allowing transgender inmates to be placed in prisons based on their gender identity .
Previously , the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation housed men and women in separate correctional facilities and transgender inmates were housed based on their biological sex . The new California law will allow transgender inmates to be housed based on their gender identity rather than their sex assigned at birth .
The Transgender Respect , Agency and Dignity Act notes that officers must privately ask inmates during the intake process … how they identify .… Transgender , nonbinary or intersex inmates can request to be placed in a facility that houses either men or women based on how they identify .…
The law says the CDCR cannot deny requests for the preferred prison based solely on the inmates ’ anatomy , sexual orientation or “ a factor present ” among other inmates at the facility .…
The law also requires officers to address transgender inmates based on the pronouns of their choice .…
Connecticut , Massachusetts , New York City and Rhode Island have similar laws where inmates are housed based on gender identity and not biological sex .
— Paul Sacca , theblaze . com
EDITOR ’ S COMMENTS : Is there no end to what the warped philosophy and perverted mindset will produce ? Obviously not !
After Vowing to Abolish Police , Minneapolis City Council Demands to Know “ Where Are the Police ?” As Violence Plagues the City
After the tragic death of George Floyd rocked the nation , the Minneapolis City Council — which is composed of nearly all Democrats — took the lead in the anti-police movement , voting to defund the city ’ s department .…
But as violent crime has plagued the city for months , the city council is now asking , “ Where are the police ?”…
During a two-hour meeting with Minneapolis Police Chief Medaria Arradondo … the Democratic city council , in brazen fashion , demanded to know why city police are not responding to the violence with enhanced law enforcement measures .…
…[ T ] he department is … hemorrhaging personnel , Arradondo explained . In fact , more than 100 officers have left the department this year alone , more than double the usual number .
— Chris Enloe , theblaze . com
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