Election Roundup

In the second chapter of the book of Daniel, we see that Daniel had been given an opportunity to interpret a dream for the King. We can find these words:
20 Daniel answered and said: "Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, For wisdom and might are His.
21 And He changes the times and the seasons; He removes kings and raises up kings; He gives wisdom to the wise And knowledge to those who have understanding.
22 He reveals deep and secret things; He knows what is in the darkness, And light dwells with Him.

Trump to return to office

For the first time in American history since the election of 1892, a former President has won re-election after having been defeated once in a bid to return to the office.

But, Donald Trump, who served as the 45th President of the United States will get the opportunity to serve as the 47th, as the result of the election that ended yesterday.

CBN News reported: 

After leading the White House race all night, Trump won the critical battleground state of Pennsylvania after also winning Georgia and North Carolina earlier. That third battleground victory pushed him to an official overall victory.

He delivered a victory speech shortly after AP called Pennsylvania on his behalf.

FoxNews.com reported that Trump said: "This was, I believe, the greatest political movement of all time. There's never been anything like this in this country, and maybe beyond. And now it's going to reach a new level of importance because we're going to help our country heal..."

The article added:

Trump said that he will lead the "golden age of America" upon his inauguration.

"Every citizen, I will fight for you, for your family and your future. Every single day, I will be fighting for you. And with every breath in my body, I will not rest until we have delivered the strong, safe and prosperous America that our children deserve and that you deserve. This will truly be the golden age of America. That's what we have to have. This is a magnificent victory for the American people that will allow us to make America great again," he said.

Trump, unlike his first election in 2016, won not only the Electoral College, but won the popular vote as well. 

And, Republicans will be enjoying a Senate majority and are poised to maintain their small majority in the House, with still dozens of races yet to be called, according to Real Clear Politics.  In Alabama, the contest in the redrawn 2nd Congressional District was won by former Justice Department official Shomari Figures over attorney Caroleene Dobson by 54-1/2 to 45-1/2%, a 9-point margin.  The Congressman currently representing that district, Barry Moore, won the District 1 race. 

Life on the ballot

Certainly, life was on the ballot - not only with regard to the choice of candidates who affirm the sanctity of life, but in 10 states, there were ballot measures dealing with the topic of abortion. 

An effort that experts say would allow abortion in Florida throughout a woman's pregnancy fell short of the 60% threshold, garnering 57% of the vote. This paves the way for the state's 6-week ban to continue. Axios reported on other abortion measures:

Voters in New York, Maryland, Colorado, Missouri, Nevada and Arizona approved measures to expand or enshrine abortion access.

• Voters in Nebraska, which had to competing measures, rejected a measure to establish a right to abortion until fetal viability or later to protect the life or health of the pregnant person. The second measure, which passed, will enshrine the state's 12-week ban into its constitution.

• South Dakota voters rejected a ballot measure that would have established a constitutional right to abortion in the state using a trimester framework. It was the second state to reject an amendment this election cycle, with Florida being the first.

Those victories in Florida, Nebraska, and South Dakota end a win streak of pro-abortion outcomes in the two years since Roe v. Wade was overturned.  WSDK reported that there will possibly be legal action against the Missouri measure. 

Did the Church turn out?

How strong was the evangelical Christian turnout?  It may be too early to tell, but exit polling indicates, as reported by The Washington Post:

According to early exit polls, Catholic voters supported Trump over Harris by a double-digit margin. In 2020, Catholics backed Joe Biden, who would become America’s second Catholic president, by a five-point margin. In both years, about a quarter of voters were Catholic.

Other religious groups were more similar to 2020. About 6 in 10 Protestants supported Trump over Harris, and they made up about 40 percent of the electorate. Just under 2 in 10 voters reported no religion, and they supported Harris by a 3-to-1 margin.

Trump’s strongest religious group were voters who identified as White born-again Christians, who represented about 2 in 10 voters. About 8 in 10 of them supported him nationally, similar to his margin in 2020.

The chart of the data apparently uses "evangelical" and "born-again" interchangeably.  About one-fourth of voters indicate no religious preference.

Christian leaders speaking out:

Jim Daly of Focus on the Family, in a blog post, said:

...the outcome confirms American families are hungry to live in a nation where they can raise their children in an environment that is physically safe, economically viable, and where moms and dads and kids can unapologetically worship God. They believe parents – not politicians – have the authority to guide and direct their children’s education. They believe their daughters shouldn’t have to fear boys in their locker room – or face off against them in a woman’s sporting event. They’re fed up with politicians making common sense complex in an effort to confuse and advance an anti-family agenda.

Daly adds:

“Scripture commands Christians to pray for ‘all those in authority that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness’ (1 Timothy 2:2), and so we must lift up the former and future president, as well as President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris – and all those who are guiding and leading our nation."

Greg Laurie of Harvest Christian Fellowship and A New Beginning, tweeted this out:

After winning the presidency, Donald Trump made this statement- 

“‘God spared my life for a reason — to save our country and restore America to greatness.” 

I believe this is true. America needs restoration. President Trump could have died so easily in the assassination attempts on his life, but God did indeed spare him. When President Ronald Reagan was shot early in his presidency, he too felt God had spared his life. The night Reagan returned to the White House he confided in his diary, “Whatever happens now I owe my life to God and will serve Him every way I can.” Ronald Reagan went on have one of the greatest presidencies in American history. 

 Let’s pray now for President Trump that he will be surrounded by godly and competent people who will give him good counsel in the days ahead. God bless President Trump and God bless the United States of America!

James Dobson Family Institute issued a statement, which said, in part:

• Trump effectively put together a multi-racial, multi-ethnic coalition that rejects the racial identity politics that has been used by the neo-Marxist left to divide our country.
• President-elect Trump reiterated last night that he believes God saved him from the assassin’s bullet because He has something He wants Trump to do. The president-elect believes God wants him to unite the country, heal our divisions, and restore the American dream. To do that, Christians must continue to engage the culture and the public square.
• Over the next four years, the freedom of speech and religion will be strengthened rather than undermined. Parental rights will be defended, and the U.S./Israel alliance will be strengthened.

Troy Miller, President and CEO of National Religious Broadcasters, offered congratulations to Trump; from NRB & stated:

"As a candidate, President Trump addressed the NRB Convention in February 2024 and articulated a vision for protecting and uplifting faith in America. We commend this worthy aim and look forward to combining efforts to safeguard free expression, support America’s spiritual welfare, and fight against religious persecution.

"We congratulate all newly elected and reelected members of Congress, and we look forward to working with the 119th Congress to maintain access for Christian communicators and support a favorable business environment for the religious broadcasting industry.

"NRB will continue its historic work of representing Christian communicators in the Nation’s capital, defending against threats to free speech, and advocating First Amendment freedoms through legal, legislative, regulatory, and media engagement."

Franklin Graham posted on Facebook:

Congratulations to Donald J. Trump on being elected the 47th president of the United States of America! I pray that you will look to God every day for His guidance and wisdom.

Abby Johnson, in an e-mail from And Then There Were None:

"Americans were tired of being gaslit about our grocery and gas bills. We were tired of being told that grown men can be women and women can be men. We were tired of being called fascists because we have traditional values. We were tired of abortion on demand being celebrated. This election was a resounding victory for life, for the values that we hold true, and for human decency and dignity. Americans ultimately stood up to the bullies and I'm hopeful for our future as a nation."

So, the takeaways for this election - we have prayed, and we should continue to do so. There was a sense that the Church was galvanized to participate in this election.  After years of polling data that shows that Christians did not participate, there was a renewed and passionate call for the Church to rise up. Now, as we prayed yesterday, we pray today and in the days to come for our leadership. 

You also have to recognize a sense of calling - Donald Trump's life was spared on at least two occasions. And, there were those who reminded him of how God had worked to save his life. Some said that the experiences, especially the near-miss in Butler, PA, humbled him. People have been speaking into His life. We can pray that the seeds of God's truth will grow and that the Lord will accomplish His purposes through Mr. Trump - that He would completely surrender his life to Christ. 

I would also hope that Trump would recognize a fuller meaning of what the Dobbs decision actually meant. He has certainly tempered his pro-life fervor, reflected in public statements and the Republican platform.  But, we can pray for a renewed devotion to protecting the lives of the unborn.  We can also pray for godly counselors who would present a Biblical perspective into his life and his new administration. 

Under God

Today is the final day of voting in the 2024 election. It's been a long season, dating back to the spring of this year - some candidates have been in the running since before the beginning of the year. Even though there are some that are exhausted, we must recognize that God is our source of strength, and He will equip and empower us for the work of His Kingdom. Psalm 31 states:
15 My times are in Your hand; Deliver me from the hand of my enemies, And from those who persecute me.
16 Make Your face shine upon Your servant; Save me for Your mercies' sake.
17 Do not let me be ashamed, O Lord, for I have called upon You; Let the wicked be ashamed; Let them be silent in the grave.
18 Let the lying lips be put to silence, Which speak insolent things proudly and contemptuously against the righteous.
19 Oh, how great is Your goodness, Which You have laid up for those who fear You, Which You have prepared for those who trust in You In the presence of the sons of men!

Over the last few days, Christians across America have been participating in organized prayer efforts in advance of the election.  While we have heard before that certain elections are the "most" important elections that have occurred, we have to recognize that each one of them are critical, and that, as it's been said, "elections have consequences."

You may have already voted, or are making plans to do so.  We can make sure that we are faithful and then trust God with the results.  But, He is certainly not uninterested in the outcome, and we recognize that, as the book of Daniel says, He is the one who raises up "kings," or governmental leaders, as well as bringing them down. 

One of our Faith Radio programmers has made some strong statements regarding the election and has released a prayer for it.  Because I believe we don't stop praying for our nation and its leaders once the ballot is cast. 

That programmer is the Senior Pastor of Shadow Mountain Community Church in San Diego, David Jeremiah, heard on Turning Point twice each weekday - at 6:00 a.m. and 11:00 p.m.  A recent Crosswalk.com article quoted from Dr. Jeremiah:

"I've never been the voice of doom and gloom, but of hope in our salvation through Jesus Christ, and of trust in God for our future, no matter the circumstances," Jeremiah said.

"However, the soul of America is at stake because the values and principles that secured this country's greatness are being threatened," he said. "America faces a critical situation today. Our secular society has mounted the most aggressive attack on moral values in America's history."

He added:

"While I have always said that your political persuasion has nothing to do with your personal salvation, I am careful to point out that some issues considered political are nothing more than biblical issues that have been dragged into the political arena," Jeremiah said. "In this election, we face many such issues, critical moral decisions that will shape the days ahead. As Christians, we carry a dual responsibility to the state and to God, and we cannot afford to neglect either one."

While he admitted that the "only thing that can change the direction of our country...is a revival of biblical proportions and a return to the moral and spiritual principles of Scripture in which our greatness is rooted...," he also noted that, "Your participation in this election is a way to demonstrate your Christian values in a tangible way..."

After his comments, he prayed "A Prayer for America," which the article related could be found on his website.  The operative phrase in the prayer is "Make us one nation under God."  He prayed:

Dear Father,

Living in uncertain times, You are a certain God.

Seeing turmoil all around us, You are the Peace within us.

And though the future may seem dim, You are the Light that illuminates our path forward.

Make us one nation under God.

May we remember the high cost that was paid to live in one nation, a nation under God.

May we not be fractured by politics or pettiness, but stand together as an indivisible people, ready to face the challenges of our future.

May we graciously live within the freedom and liberty endowed to us by our Creator. And may we seek justice for all, no matter their race, color, or creed.

Make us one nation under God. 

Though imperfect, let us become a more perfect union. Sometimes divided, let us learn to live indivisibly. And at times ungrateful, let we the people be grateful for life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

In you, God, we trust to heal the wounds of our past. Give us strength to endure the trials of today, and provide guidance to live together in a more peaceful tomorrow.

Make us one nation under God.

May your Word direct us, Your promises keep us, Your power protect us, and Your purpose restore us.

May our courage propel us, love define us, humility constrain us, and faith unite us.

Make us one nation under God.

Father, we are blessed beyond measure, thankful beyond words, and hopeful beyond imagination.

Make us one nation under God.

So, today we continue to pray, to call out to God for our nation and the outcome of this election. Tomorrow, we can continue to pray and call out out to God, recognizing His sovereignty over the world and our nation.  And, we can work harder to know the truth and speak it, to speak out on the issues which formed the basis for our votes.

We can also be determined to live our lives for Christ, even in the face of opposition. I believe that religious freedom should ideally be a major determinant in this election - who will champion it and who will not?  And, when our freedoms are under assault, we can continue to trust the Lord to sustain us. 

Spiritual Stakes

We are the people of God, redeemed by Jesus Christ, and He calls us to adopt a spiritual mindset, so that we can release the power of God and represent His Kingdom on earth. We find these words of Jesus in Matthew 18:
18 Assuredly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.
19 Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven.
20 For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them."

On this day before Election Day, I want to share a four-word phrase that was issued by former Arkansas governor, now television host and commentator Mike Huckabee:

“The battle is spiritual.”

Earlier this month, the governor spoke at Family Research Council's Pray Vote Stand Summit.  According to The Washington Stand, he uttered that phrase, as well as this:

“Our issues today are vertical: Heaven and Hell, righteous and unrighteous, good and evil. And we have to understand that the battle is spiritual. The consequences will be political, but the underpinning is spiritual.”

The article notes:

The spiritual groundwork underlying America’s present-day political strife explains the “irrational” level of hatred pervading society, he said.

Huckabee cast an eye to the future and expressed concern for the type of nation that his grandchildren will inherit.  The article goes on to say:

Huckabee said he felt a deep “burden” for his seven grandchildren, who now live in a post-Christian society. “I don’t want them to grow up in a culture where a 12-year-old can’t get a tattoo, buy liquor, buy tobacco, can’t enter into a contract, get married, can’t drive a car, but can make the decision to have his or her body chemically castrated or surgically mutilated,” he said. “I do not want her to be in the girl’s locker room and have a biological boy undressing in front of her, and her being expected to undress in front of a biological boy — and if she says anything about it, that it makes her uncomfortable, she’s the one who gets into trouble.”

And, he, like so many other Christian leaders, emphasized the Christian's duty to vote, stating: “God is calling every one of us to engage in the civic responsibility. It’s not just our right. It is our responsibility to be engaged in the process,” adding, “If we don’t like the government we have and don’t vote, we end up getting the government we deserve and not the one we wanted.” Incorporating the name of the event, he said, “Pray, vote, stand: I pray that you will embrace this as more than a slogan, that you will see it as a command..."

In our vote, there is hope.  Some people can become jaded and cynical about political involvement, but for the believer in Christ, we can become excited not only by our obedience to the Lord, but by the opportunity to put people in office who will affirm our Christian values.  The reality is that not all will do so, but by making it our aim to select the person in every race who best represents our deeply-held Biblical beliefs, we can certainly change the calculus. 

And, I think Mike Huckabee is right when he talks about the kind of nation we are leaving for our children and grandchildren.  Are we furthering this mistaken and evil notion that a baby in the womb is just some sort of "reproductive choice" that can be terminated at will?   Have we devalued life to the point where crime is rampant and people are much more prone to take the life of another?   Are we concerned about a government that is addicted to overwhelming spending that threatens to unleash more economic harm on families who are living paycheck to paycheck?  

And, the sexual issues - the redefining of gender roles and the embracing of concepts such as gender identity and gender fluidity - how concerning is that; left unchecked, these corrupt marriage and the family, which are vital in a functioning society.  The Church has a huge part to play, and one step we can take is to vote for the right people - people who will affirm and seek godly wisdom.  We don't have enough of them, granted, but we can make a start here and now. 

Staying on the Path

The apostle Paul desired to see God do an amazing work in the city of Philippi, and in the book of Philippians, he notifies those residents that he and Timothy are praying. He writes in chapter 1:
3 I thank my God upon every remembrance of you,
4 always in every prayer of mine making request for you all with joy,
5 for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now,
6 being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ...

You may have seen him wearing a crimson jersey on Saturday afternoons.  Or perhaps watched his portrayal of a great Crimson Tide running back in a movie produced by the Erwin Brothers. He's the son of a highly regarded Alabama player who now serves as chaplain for the football team.

According to IMDB, he appeared in 64 episodes of NCIS: Los Angeles from 2020-2023.  The program was cancelled last year after 14 seasons.

But, Caleb Castille's on-screen debut came in the 2015 movie, Woodlawn. I came across an article published on the Movieguide website, which said this: 

“God brought him into our system in the most Supernatural way,” director Andy Erwin said. Erwin cast Castille as Tony Nathan in the Movieguide® Teddy Bear Award®-nominated movie WOODLAWN. “I’ll never forget driving you to set for the first day on WOODLAWN and you just being like squeaky clean, brand-new, just bright-eyed.”

Castille attended the Movieguide® Awards and said, “It was absolutely incredible. You can’t ask for a better situation as a young actor. I was only acting for about two years, and to step into something that I was halfway used to, but I have to give credit to these guys who have been doing this for way longer than I have, and just surrounding me, and we all had the same goal in mind: to create a great film, and bring his story to life. It’s been a treat.”

Embedded within the article was an edition of the podcast, The Storytellers, which featured a conversation between Andy and Caleb.  Caleb talked about the importance of following God's direction: 

“I kind of feel like we toil in that space a lot even in our spiritual lives. We’re just like, ‘Oh yeah, this is the path I’m on God and this is what I’m so committed to,'” Castille said. “Meanwhile He’s trying to just get us to look over here. Like I [God] know you want this right now, I know this is what you want but if you just turn your attention this way, give all of yourself to me and right now you’ll find that I have something way greater.”

The article notes: "Castille says that it’s his faith that’s allowed him to grow in Hollywood. The young actor, who is the son of Alabama football legend Jeremiah Castille, is also very open about his personal faith."  It included a 2021 Instagram post, in which he wrote:

“When I think back over the past decade of my life Im humbled thinking about what Gods grace has allowed me to accomplish. But I wouldn’t have been able to do any of those things without my support group.❤️ The level of expectation I have for the next decade of my life can’t even be measured. If you’re reading this, try GOD and watch him flood your life with immeasurable JOY! 🙏🏾” 

Caleb Castille is so obviously aware of God's hand in the trajectory of his life.  So are Andy and Jon Erwin - their studio, Kingdom Story Company, has another release heading into theaters this weekend, a film version of the classic play, The Best Christmas Pageant Ever.  

And, just a note, the spirit of the revival that occurred at Birmingham's Woodlawn High School lives on - one of the characters in the film is based on Andy and Jon's father, Hank Erwin, former radio host and state senator in Alabama, who has had a hand in organizing a prayer effort this coming Monday night called the Great American Prayer event, at 6:00 p.m. local time. 

I think we all have to evaluate where God is leading us. When we look at what He's done, what He's gifted us to do, and how He has used us, we can walk in anticipation of what He will do next.  As long as we're breathing, He has a plan.  Our responsibility is to be obedient to Him.

Just a word here, too - there have been comments that I have seen about the potential for a spiritual revival in our nation.  We are seeing pockets of that take place, especially among college students. There has also been concern expressed about the apathy of the Church in dealing with the issues that are threatening us as a nation. Not to say that the election of governmental leaders is a sole catalyst for a nationwide revival, but what if the Church were to rise up and elect authorities who, instead of trying to omit the influence of Christianity from American life, would welcome it?  What kind of conditions could that create?  We are a deeply troubled nation - we need the hand of Almighty God. While I do believe that the outcome of the election will accomplish His purposes, we can call upon Him on behalf of those who need to be saved and revived.