Psalm 20:7
Who To Vote For
If the pundits are to be believed, the future of the world depends on the choice that we make in this election. But what happens if the WRONG candidate is elected?
We better get it right.
Perhaps you have already voted, did you vote for the RIGHT one?
One of the difficult things about determining for whom you will vote is there is no party that has a monopoly on right. There is no party that has got it all together. You may have your favorite, but if you were honest there are positives and negatives.
So, Maybe I just won’t vote …
Samuel Adams said: “Let each citizen remember at the moment he is offering his vote… that he is executing one of the most solemn trusts in human society for which he is accountable to God and his country.”
Well Citizens … it may be hard to do … but we have some decisions to make
“The church must take right ground in regards to politics. . . . The time has come for Christians to vote for honest men. . . . God cannot sustain this free and blessed country, which we love and pray for, unless the Church will take right ground.”- Charles Finney
“Elections belong to the people. It is their decision. If they decide to turn their back on the fire and burn their behinds, then they will just have to sit on their blisters.”
Abraham Lincoln
So, who are you going to vote for?
Psalm 20:7(NIV84) says Some trust in chariots and some trust in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God
Read … Psalm 20:1-9 but I will just focus here on v7
1. Some Trust in Chariots
You’ve seen enough movies to picture a chariot
It was a vehicle pulled behind horses. It was framed in wood in a semi-circle. Leather and metal were used to bind it together. The floor of the chariot was made of rope woven together which would create a springy cushioned ride. The Wheels were low to the ground for a low center of gravity and stability. There were no seats generally in a chariot, because the chariot wasn’t a pleasure vehicle. Strapped to the side of the chariot in crossed fashion were quivers and a case for bows, because this was a *war vehicle*. This vehicle wasn’t generally used for peace.
And David says … “Some trust in Chariots”
“SOME”
Usually there were two men in a chariot, the “charioteer” or driver and the “warrior” and occasionally a third man or captain who had charge over the other two.
However, when the KING rode a chariot into battle … he rode alone into battle. He would tie the reins to his waist and keep his hands free to fire his bow or use other weapons.
David said “some trust in chariots”
Who Will YOU Trust?
Some Trust in War Machines
Some Trust in a Vehicle
Some Trust in the larger Vehicle that will move them forward and place their hope …
How will you Vote?
Some … Trust in Chariots – But … then David says …
2. Some Trust In Horses
The Chariot isn’t moving anywhere without the horse.
A car isn’t moving anywhere without the engine
While chariots were pretty singularly used, horses served a lot of purposes.
Chariot drivers might see an individual horse as dispensable, lose one, get another …
… but the horse IS indispensable
The Horse was a commodity
The Horse was mostly a nameless, entity.
It served a purpose, but it was foundational.
As I said it was the engine.
Without the Chariot, the king and his warriors are outmaneuvered in battle
Without the horse the Chariot was a piece of furniture.
I’m sure many in David’s day had argued the value of the horse or the chariot
David said, “Some Trust in Chariots and Some Trust in Horses …”
We could imagine, if you will, that one of our political parties was the Vehicle that can move our country. Perhaps One Candidate represented the war machine to save us in a day of need.
And perhaps we could imagine that one party was the engine to move that Vehicle. Perhaps one party represented the nameless faces that are indispensable to the success of the forward motion or defense of our country.
And thus, we would argue for one over the Other
The “Chariot People” would say “we have to have bigger better chariots, we need to place our emphasis on the development of the best Vehicle to move our country, the best Vehicle to defend our country” …
because – “some still trust in Chariots”
The “Horse people” would weigh in on the debate to say “that’s all fine and dandy but without the horses, the best chariots will be nothing. Take care of the details, take care of the engine or you won’t go anywhere. If you don’t feed it and water it, if it’s not healthy and happy, then the Chariot is not going anywhere.”
because – “some trust in horses”
We could really have a great debate between those Chariot and Horse People.
There is a funny thing though about Chariots and Horses; you can and should choose a chariot and horses. I pray before I buy a car. I try and buy the car that the Lord would have me to buy.
But – the chariot may turn out to be eaten up with termites. The Wheels might fall of. Thieves might steal my chariot. A bigger or better chariot might defeat my chariot. I may have been lied to by the chariot salesman. The chariot factory workers might have been daydreaming when he put it together, and I get stuck with a bad chariot where I’ve placed all my trust.
My horse may turn out to be headstrong and unbreakable. My horse may get a disease. My horse may break a leg. My horse might get shot out from under me. My horse might just get old and die. My horse might be older or sicker than it looks, or the horse salesman said it was. And I end up with troubles where I have placed my trust.
But David says,
“ some trust in chariots and some trust in horses …”
Interesting Some trust in ONE party the Chariot Party, and Some Trust in Another Party the Horse Party …
Now I’m not saying that the Chariot Represents one of our Parties and the Horse Represents another, but folks if you are placing your HOPE in one of our Political Parties to solve your problems, put gas in your car, a roof over your head, money in your retirement program, or heal your disease, you MAY be Disappointed …
Oh, but there’s a lot of hopeful people out there.
There are also a lot of fearful people out there
There are a lot of people who have placed all of their hope with one political party or candidate
There are a lot of people who are frightened by one party or candidate
And they will make their choices based on the hope they have placed, or the fear that grips them …
… but David offers us an alternative way of thinking…
David said “some trust in Chariots, others in Horses but WE WILL TRUST …”
3. In the Name of the Lord Our God
Folks, if claim to be a child of God, then we aren’t just, “SOME” folks.
We don’t go with the crowd …
People we shouldn’t approach that voting booth like everyone else.
We don’t put our hopes in that basket … NO
We Will Trust in a NAME …
A. Name …
Chariots don’t have names …
Well I know there are some of you crazy guys out there that name your car, but we are talking about a Chariot here just used for a battle, I know there are names for tanks and airplanes too … But it doesn’t really have a name, it’s an inanimate object … it is NOT a person.
The kinds of horses we are talking about here were also nameless, they were just property for the purpose of driving the chariot
But “a Name” carries with it authority and power, position
Neither one of our Candidates has a name that will still matter 500 years from now. Neither of our parties will matter at the end of all things …
But WE … Trust in A Name …
JESUS …
Oh, Gabriel came to Mary and Joseph and said that Mary was going to conceive, and bear and child and his name would be “JESUS”, because he will save his people from their sins
Peter preached in Acts 4:12 that, Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.”
THERE is a Name
I know a name
No other name
We Trust in the Name Of the Lord … the Authority, and the Power
B. The Lord Our God
Philippians 2:10–11 (CSB)
10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow— in heaven and on earth and under the earth— 11 and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
We don’t just believe in ANY name, we don’t just hope in ANY name, we have placed our hope our trust, our lives in the hands of the Name, Jesus.
Jesus who is LORD, and not just Lord, meaning he has authority, but He is GOD …
He created Heaven and Earth, so he can RUN this Earth perfectly fine without us.
Jesus said in Matthew 28:18 that “All Authority had been given to me in Heaven and Earth”
The sun came up just as scheduled this morning … I think he can handle our Social and Economic Crises.
He handled the Rebellion of Satan and 1/3 of the Angels and kicked them out with a word … I think he can handle our military challenges
As a matter of fact, he can handle it if the WRONG One gets it. If the WRONG PARTY has control, he can Handle it
Romans 13:1b says “there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are instituted by God.”
So that begs an interesting question.
C. How Would Jesus Vote?
Stay with me for a minute on this one … I am NOT speaking for Jesus!
I am telling you what I believe are some things that scripture teaches us about God that we can see in the issues we face.
A While Back, I was at a conference, and one speaker suggested four things that he believes would shape Jesus’ voting
- For-Life — Jesus Created all life, he sustains life, he is the giver of life, and is the only one who can take it away. Job 1:21 said, the Lord gives and the lord takes away blessed be the name of the Lord. Oh my but that means ALL life.
- For Morality — we live in a world where the distinguishing marks between right and wrong has been removed in most cases. Perversion and Greed seem to run unchecked in the name of freedom and capitalism. Right is RIGHT … and Wrong on Top of Wrong doesn’t equal a right
The glory of God not only includes love and grace, but also judgment and wrath. He is a holy God and calls us to Holiness as well.
- For Family – the oldest ceremony in the history of humans is the ceremony of marriage. Marriage is a sacred thing. Marriage is also a picture of Christ and the Church. When we distort the family we distort a picture of Christ and the Church, God and his Children. Distortion like that confuses and distorts the very Gospel of Jesus Christ. We can vote that value, but remember we live in an ungodly world, and we are a church. Vote your values but don’t expect everyone to agree. But we are the Church and We can Live our Belief
Finally, this preacher also pointed out that he believed that Jesus would vote
- For God – We do not know what the future holds. It seems that we are closer every day to the end of all things. However, we don’t know that, and the only thing that we know to do is call our nation to repentance and turning toward God. Jesus came with a message “Repent for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.” Jesus would call us to the Father
But you know folks those four things are not the only things that are important to Jesus. He would also be:
- For Poor
- For Prisoner
- Pro Hungry
- Pro Thirsty
Matthew 25:35-36 Jesus said “I was hungry and you gave me something to eat … thirsty and you gave me … drink … stranger … invited me in … needed clothes … you clothed me … sick and you looked after me … in prison … came to visit me … whatever you did for one of the least of these … you did for me”
- For Education
Proverbs 22:6 train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it
And those issues are also important issues in every election
But you know what people, we may not be able to control the life, morality, and marriage laws ourselves which is why those issues are so very important in every election.
And while we DO need politicians who are concerned about the other issues and can move our government toward solving those issues.
But you and I, in the church, shouldn’t have to VOTE on the poor, prisoner, hungry, thirsty, and uneducated. We have been told to do those things as individual Christians and the as Church of the Lord Jesus Christ. As a matter of fact, He says that many who have called him “Lord”, don’t really know him, and haven’t shown their knowledge of him in their actions toward those in need.
But then …
D. How Should I Vote?
We MUST be involved in the political process
“Right is right, even if everyone is against it, and wrong is wrong, even if everyone is for it.” William Penn
“The only thing needed for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing.”
Edmund Burke,
Never be afraid to stand with the minority which is right, for the minority which is right will one day be the majority; always be afraid to stand with the majority which is wrong, for the majority which is wrong will one day be the minority.
William Jennings Bryan
“Always vote for principle, though you may vote alone, and you may cherish the sweetest reflection that your vote is never lost.”
John Quincy Adams
THERE ARE important Issues and they SHOULD shape the way we vote …
How should I Vote?
- Prayerfully – before you are shaped by political pundits or religious leaders, I need to Seek God’s Face. Our answers must come from the throne room before we make a decision …
- Carefully – don’t just go in and vote carelessly or without purpose. I personally never vote straight ticket … I vote what I know to be true and important to me. It takes longer, but if your vote matters, you should vote carefully
- Conscientiously – that is to vote with a consciousness of the moral goodness or blameworthiness of one’s own conduct, intentions or character with a feeling of obligation
- Faithfully – VOTE, it is your right and your DUTY
Vote
Be concerned with the results … but
E. Who Will I Trust?
“Give me a hundred men who fear nothing but sin, and desire nothing but God, and I will shake the world. I care not a straw whether they be clergymen or laymen; and such alone will overthrow the kingdom of Satan and build up the Kingdom of God on earth.” John Wesley
Our Hope is in God Alone. If you know him personally as your own Lord and God, then you need not Fear anything. If you have never given your heart to him, I offer you Jesus, he is our ONLY Hope. He is our ONLY Answer. He is our ONLY Reason to Life
Folks we do not have to fear the growing shadow of evil because I know who the Sun is. I know where the Light is coming from So I will not fear the shadows …
Do the dark Shadows a seem bit scary?
Helen Keller said “Keep your face toward the Sun and you cannot see the shadows”
Where is our Hope?
If you counted all the verses and found the Center Verse of Scripture in the Bible, it would be Psalm 118:9 – the CENTER VERSE in the Bible …
It is Better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man
Are you afraid?
Psalm 56:3 when I am afraid, I will trust in you
Now what I have tried to do today is give you principles to challenge you on HOW to vote … BUT … I DID promise you that I would tell you WHO to vote for. …
Well let me see if I can break it down to the important things, the things that we talk about and introduce you to the right candidate
- Executive Experience?
Well … as an Entrepreneur, Creator, and Inventor, he left a lucrative position to begin a new venture. He handpicked a dozen leaders whom he developed and set them loose. They have transformed a regional venture into a multi-national organization servicing and including millions of employees and ambassadors, and this endeavor has continued for nearly 2000 years.
Today he continues in the tri-unified Board of Directors of every facet of the Universe
- Economics?
Well it is said he owns the cattle on a thousand years, but more than that he developed, understands and implements the principles of planting, nurturing, and harvest.
He can turn a lunch into a meal for thousands, so I think he can make sure you have enough to eat.
He went fishing one day and came up with the tax money needed for he and his disciples.
- Social Programs?
He has taught his followers to Feed the Hungry, Visit the Prisoner, Give water to the Thirsty, Clothes to the Naked. His followers have been known to sell their goods and give to those in need. They have been known to meet the needs of strangers and friends alike
- Retirement Plan?
In his Father’s House are many Mansions, and He has gone to prepare a place for me so that where He is I can be as well.
- Suffering and Sacrifice?
The word is Expiation, it means atonement. He went into the teeth of the storm of accusation. He went through an illegal trial. He withstood a horrific beating. Then he was sentenced to die on a cross and suffered in dignity, grace, forgiveness, love, never uttering a word in his own defense. He sacrificed himself that those who would come after him would not have to die, and even if they do would be resurrected to live forever.
- Provision?
His Divine Power has Given us EVERYTHING we Need for Life and Godliness (2Peter 1:3)
So then,
Ladies and Gentlemen, let me introduce to you the ONLY Candidate you ever Need … Please Join me and
Vote for the Lord Jesus Christ!
Wonderful Counselor
Mighty God
Everlasting Father
Prince of Peace!
Place your Trust in Him
Use Your Chariot, but if it’s broken, fix it or ditch it, but TRUST God
Use Your Horse, if it’s sick, nurse it back to health, if it’s lame shoot it,
But place your TRUST in Jesus Christ
Vote Jesus
Vote with your Heart, give it to him
Vote with your Head, Surrender to him
Vote with your Feet, and Hands, live in Obedience to Him
Love Him with Heart, Soul, Mind, and Strength
Jesus Is our only lasting Hope
You will never have to vote for HIM to Change because … Jesus is the same Yesterday, Today, and Forever.
YOU and I must Change and Surrender to him, Become Like Him
He IS Lord
He Is God
You might as well follow all the rest of Creation;
And Vote Jesus Christ this Year and for Life.
Pastor Goforth 