We hear a lot of talk about how people are going to vote in the coming presidential election, and why. Let me throw, what might be, a new concept at you. Let me suggest that perhaps people’s choice for president will not be determined by the looks/demur of the men running, by the "one-liners" they quip back and forth, by the numbers they throw in the air, or even by the platform of their parties—except for how those platforms line up with two books: i.e., the Bible or the Playboy magazine.

I know that there are exceptions to every rule and that there are probably people who vote for a particular party because their daddy and granddaddy always voted Democrat or Republican, but I content, that for the most part, people are going to vote "from where they live."

For example,

• if parents are concerned that their children are raised with the understanding that there is a right and a wrong in this life and that the moral standards set forth by the Ten Commandments of the Bible are the basis for those standards
• if parents feel that their children should be raised to reverence God, to respect authority, and to regard the feelings of other people
• if parents feel that "sex" is a gift from God and are trying to teach their children that it should be highly valued and protected by practicing it in the realms of the traditional Judeo/Christian family values that helped to make America to become the great nation that it is
• if individuals try to interact with others by "doing unto others as you would have them do unto you"
• if individuals expect their elected officials to agree with their standards of excellence

—then such individuals will more than likely vote Republican for the Republican platform more nearly reflects those these values.

On the other hand,

• if parents are absorbed in the making of reputation and money in this life and expect the school/government to raise their children
• if parents have no concern that their children have reverence for God or respect for authority—except for the hassle it brings when they get in trouble at school, or with the law
• if parents feel that it’s alright to drink to excess or watch movies loaded with foul language and nudity in front of their children
• if individuals want no constraint on their lifestyles—even when their lifestyle effects others by:

1. bringing sexually transmitted diseases into their communities,
2. making it a "convenience" to be able to legally murder one’s own unborn child,
3. raising the taxes necessary to pay for the police and legal bills brought about by their "high" lifestyle, etc.

• if individuals love and support Hollywood’s efforts to degenerate the morals of our nation—and especially so, the fabric of our youth
• if individuals feel that they must "do unto others, but do it first"
• if individuals had rather read Playboy than the Bible

—then such individuals will more than likely vote Democrat for the platform of the Democratic party unabashedly appeals to such individuals.

Oh, I know that it has always been the practice of politicians in general to drop the name of God in hopes that it will get a vote—but most voters expect such rhetoric and think little of it. However, I don’t believe I’m wrong when I say that the Republican Party aligns itself with the principles of the Bible while the Democratic Party aligns itself with the principles that established the Playboy Magazine and its imitators as a part of our society. This being so, God has once again given Americans a choice.

I say all of this not because I am campaigning for George Bush, but in an attempt to see truth through a dark cloud of confusion stirred up by self-serving politicians and a biased news media that has designed its so-called newscasts so that they promote their liberal "Playboy" mentality/agenda.  (They accomplish this by what they choose to include or exclude from their report and the slant that they give in the reporting.) 

As to my own opinion of President Bush, I commend his unashamed stand for the Lord Jesus and the fact that he respects others' beliefs though they differ from his.  I also am grateful that under his watch care, the war on terrorism has been taken to the terrorist where they live so that they have not been allowed to commit another 9/11 type of atrocity on our soil even though it's obvious that they would if they could.  However, I am somewhat confused as to why someone in his administration does not rebuke those who smugly proclaim that we did not find any weapons of mass destruction in Iraq by pointing out that with the UN's help, Saddam had several months to destroy or move any such weapons.  However, I was grateful to hear President Bush's national security adviser Condoleezza Rice point out that Saddam had made weapons of mass destruction, had used them on his own people, and had left basically intact the things needed to resume his abhorrent practices. 

This is not to say that I wholeheartedly agree with all that President Bush has been trying to do.  For example, why has he not been vocal and aggressive in fulfilling his campaign promise to make our nation independent of Muslim controlled oil by concentrating our nations great creative abilities on a alternative fuel source?  And I thank God that the ".com bust" came just as he was on the brink of "privatizing" our nations Welfare System.  I understand that he inherited the mess that unscrupulous politicians before him had created when they "raped" the solvent Social Security Fund for their own political agendas-- the Fund that had been created when Social Security premiums were withheld from every paycheck of every average citizen and supposedly put in trust for their retirement.  But for the President to put the welfare of our Senior citizens in further jeopardy by wanting to have it invested in a precarious stock market makes one to wonder about just who was advising him!  (Wonder why he couldn't put the problem back on the politicians who raped the fund? maybe they would give up the luxurious retirement that they voted in for themselves in an effort to recoup our premiums!) 

I also have problems with the President's "No Child Left Behind" program.  I agree that no child should be left behind and that every child's education should match his or her potential, but again I must wonder about those who are advising him.  In fact, it is my opinion that no politician or school board member should be qualified to have a say in things pertaining to the schools until they have spent at least 3 months in the class room as a teacher.  Granted, there are problems in today's schools; but the problems began with liberal politicians in the '50's and '60's who removed prayer and Bible reading from our public schools.  The spiritual vacuum they created has since been filled with confusion and disorder.  Today, we are several generations removed from those ungodly politicians, but their fruit has multiplied.  We now have "parents" of young children who were raised with their understanding of God either tainted with the idea that it was somehow evil for Him to be a part of their education, or missing altogether.  Many of these parents are continuing their smoking of pot (or worse) and doing so in front of young school children, and they are continuing to practice all of the other rebellion that they learned while doing drugs.  Some are married, some are not, but the negative results of their behavior has had its effect on the youngsters and they, in turn, bring those behavior problems to school.  Sadly, a great portion of the teachers' days are lost to teaching because they are spent dealing with discipline.  It is not unusual for a student to come to school having to deal with the fact that their parents have had a horrendous fight the night before or that one or more of their parents are in jail, or suffering from drug abuse, or fighting problems related to aids.  To make all of this the problem of the teachers as though they are somehow responsible is just as unrealistic as it is to expect them to correct the problem--and it is totally unfair to penalize them if they cannot do the impossible.

I say all of this, not to be political, but in an attempt to set forth some of the spiritual dimensions of the problems that face today's generation.  In my opinion, the only answer to our nation's dilemmas is a genuine revival of the Church and an unparalleled evangelistic outreach to the many that have grown up thinking that it is a shame for God and His Son the Lord Jesus Christ to have any place or recognition in the society in which they live.  Because sin has come in like a flood and Playboy has become an accepted "respectable" magazine, the task of evangelizing a people who have become hardened to the things of the Bible because of authority figures, including many who claim to speak for God, looks like an insurmountable task.  However, with God, all things are possible; and if ever there were a time for the child of God to walk with his/her Maker and be counted, today is that day.  Do we want America to be recognized in the world as a nation founded upon the principles of the Bible and putting those principles in practice; or do we want to be seen as the world's largest exporter of Playboy/pornography--as some say we already are?  Church, it is time to pray, and to ask God to help us put feet on our prayers.

TO OUR CYBER-VISITORS:

Apparently we hit some nerves with these comments.  A few of the responses that we received we're not able to put up because we don't use that kind of language on our site.  However, we will respond to the comments of two of our fellow cyber surfers.  For sake of continuity, I will insert my comments right after their points.  Their  comments will be highlighted in white..

Ken Wrote:

Don,

Notice that this guy (this "guy" must mean me) groups all supposedly "bad" things together and associates it with Democrats. Then groups all supposedly "good" things together and associates it with Republicans.

Interesting, you say "supposedly" bad things.  Apparently, because you live in a Christian culture, you are able to discern that there is a "good" and a "bad"; and you feel that we have assigned the liberals the "bad."  Do you believe in a "good" and a "bad"? and if so, what criteria do you use to make your judgments?

This stupid thinking is exactly what divides the American people.... I know several registered Democrats that are absolutely concerned about their children, and they want their children to know "right" from "wrong".

How do you know they want their children to know your ambiguous "right" from "wrong"?  Do they take their children to church?  Do they belong to some religion other than one based on the Bible?  Do they sit around the supper table and teach them their own personal moral values that they have dreamed up?  If the latter is the case, this could bring up all sorts of questions.  Are they so sold on their moral code that they attempt to "evangelize" it to others, and expect others to except it, or live by it?  What is the "fruit" of their moral code?  Are they happy with what it produces in their children, etc.?

Also... there isn't any thing wrong with earning a good living so you can provide for your family... so don't claim that a Democrat shouldn't be concerned about earning a fair and honest living...

For this point, it looks like you didn't read what we had to say but what you wanted to hear us say!  If you will read again, you will see that we said "..if parents are absorbed in the making of reputation and money in this life and expect the school/government to raise their children..." then they are likely to belong to the liberal Democratic Party.  It's obvious that we all must make a living; but when people become so absorbed in themselves they think only of themselves and their needs, they have adopted one of the attributes of a liberal.  It would be interesting to know just how many people think like this--and how many of them look to the schools/government to raise their children!

Remember... United we stand... Divided we fall! So stop the unfair generalizations trying to claim that ALL Democrats are "Bad" and ALL Republicans are "Good". Any intelligent, THINKING person knows that simply isn't true!!

Again, you read into our WRAP what you want to hear, not what we said.  As to who is good and who is bad, Jesus put it this way:

Matthew 19:17
And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.

Romans 3:
    ¹⁰As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:    
   ¹¹There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.    
   ¹²They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one...
   ¹⁶Destruction and misery are in their ways:    
   ¹⁷And the way of peace have they not known:    
   ¹⁸There is no fear of God before their eyes.    
   ¹⁹Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.    
   ²⁰Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.    
   ²¹But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets;    
   ²²Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:    
   ²³For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

It was not our intention to label "good and bad," but to set forth the general attributes of liberals and moderates.  It is interesting that you labeled these attributes as "good" and "bad."

And by the way, your use of the slogan "United we stand... Divided we fall" is grossly misused.  Being "united" is no guarantee of being able to stand.  For this saying to be applicable, the thing in which a people are united must be considered.  Hitler had a great part of Germany united behind him, but they didn't stand.  For America, heretofore, the slogan has applied because we were united in our support of the constitution with its Bill of Rights--written by godly men who unabashedly trusted God and put the welfare of their new nation in the Hands of their Creator!  At this point, the words to a song that the Lord gave our family seem to apply.

'Twas God that made our country great
and kept us by His might.
Our fathers trusted in His Word
and walked within Its Light.
Today, our hearts have gone astray
but if we'll turn to God
We know He'll lead us once again
in paths our fathers trod.

The words to this song illustrate the reason that we have DOWEKNOW upon the web: i.e., we believe that God would have His people to return to Him and that He would have all who do not know Him to call upon the name of His Son so that He might also give them the gift of eternal life. 

We have some very smart and very good people in BOTH political parties.... and never forget it! I'll bet that if this guy read my answer he would assume that I'm obviously a Democrat... after all, I said something nice about them.

Ken

Intelligence is a gift of God.  Wouldn't it be smart if everyone used this gift and received the greatest Gift that God has given His World.

John 3:
¹⁶ For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. ¹⁷ For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. ¹⁸ He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. ¹⁹ And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.

By the way, with this gift comes another very special gift.

John 14:27
Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

Philippians 4
⁴ Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice. ⁵ Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand. ⁶ Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. ⁷ And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Wouldn't it be nice if everyone knew this peace and did their best to share it with everyone else?
 

Joe's comments will also be highlighted in white..

Most of what Joe had to say was absolutely correct simply because he said it. Consequently, I won't respond to any of it except one statement.

Joe Wrote:

I'll have you know that I read my Bible everyday, and I voted for Kerry.

In response, I would simply ask: what chapter and verse can you give to justify your voting for a party whose platform includes abortion, the abolishing of Bible reading in schools, the removing of the mention of God and His Son Christ Jesus from our culture, the regarding of pornography as a work of art, the promotion of homosexuality as an acceptable alternative lifestyle, and the legalization of same-sex unions--creating a new structure for an American family?--and these are just some of the more obvious anti-Bible, anti-Christ stances of the Democratic Party! 

Again, it would please us greatly if God would use DOWEKNOW as part of a "wake-up call" to America--that she must deal with the God who used dedicated Christians to bring about her formation.  Truly God has made our country great and kept us by His Might!  Up to 9:11, the fear of God was an invisible shield that protected us from the ungodly.  We need to all ask ourselves why that shield came down and if there is anything that we can do to get it reinstalled.

Dear Pastor,

Greetings in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ,

We spent the whole of today in the prayers, Our aim for prayer way to commit the Tomorrow's world wide church Sunday services to the Lord. I know this are the end times and the devil is moving so fast to deceive the church, We have witness here in Kenya many church leaders becoming too busy on Sunday that they do not let the service run to the maximum time, We prayed for the following requests

1. That The Church service will be lively tomorrow,

2. That God will give the service ministers the great favor and the anointing to minister under the heavy anointing overflowing with revelations.

3. That God will cause people just from no where to visit the churches tomorrow, (The church to have many visitors)

4. That God will use the pastors greatly to speak right into the needs of the Listeners and as a result many will be healed from their sorrows and burdens

As we were praying the Lord kept reminding me about Korea, I do not know why Korea, I do not no any gospel minister in Korea, but immediately I had to lead the congregation to the Lord about Korea, the church, the government and the people of Korea.

After all requests then I felt in my heart to pray for you pastor, That the Lord may use you in this end time harvest and I felt in My heart that This is your season and God has now silenced your enemies, Those who prayed for you to move from this place have been silenced by the Lord and You are overtaking them towards the promises of God, You will be a voice in your city and even those who went before you will be amazed by the great wisdom that The Lord has given you, Not the number of people that you are going to have but the quality people that you are going to produce who will touch the nations by the finger of the Lord.

Join us in prayer for the World wide church.

May God bless you

Yours brother in Christ

Pastor Gideon Mudenyo

:
DON AND B'ANN WROTE:

Thanks for the prayers for us, for the nations and the world. Most certainly, it would seem that we are troubled on every hand. Because time is so short, we have made it our concern to speak of Christ, John 3:16 and the Scriptures as often as possible. We try not to "give place to the enemy" by even speaking His name. Most certainly, we will not suggest that he is the author of the "end time" that we hear heralded in so many of today’s messages. God is the author and finisher of this "end time"—which is not an end at all. It is actually a time of new beginnings. At the end of our age, which appears to be just on the horizon, we will see the Lord take care of the rebellious, ungodly and then set up His Kingdom which will rule for a thousand peaceful years. At the end of the Kingdom Age we will see another new beginning that God will do: i.e., a new heaven, a new earth, worlds without end, mansions in heaven, streets paved with gold, etc. Who would steal our joy and have us to focus on an "end of things"? This is surely not of the Lord Jesus who has promised to bring us new and better things. The "end times" of the Bible is a message of hope and new beginnings—something to look forward to and press towards. Today, however, is the time to focus on the Good News of John 3:16. Share it, tell it, live it, and absorb it until we walk fully in its hope. I’m confident that you are pressing forward with this Good News; and that you will continue to do so.

There is something about fresh, ripe, unblemished fruit that is a delight to the eye. In the Spiritual realm, John 3:16 is the Seed that brings forth the "good trees" that Jesus spoke of –the trees that bring forth pleasant fruit, and not briars. It has been our experience that if we will just continue to plant/sow John 3:16, that God will plant His "good" trees; and if we just continue to water with the sincere milk of the Word, that God will bring forth good fruit to perfection on those trees. Think about it! Can a farmer make a tree? can he make a tree to bear fruit? No! He can only plant the seed and then care for it, BUT IT IS GOD THAT GIVES THE INCREASE AND BRINGS FORTH THE FRUIT!

Thanks again for praying for us.  I know we should pray for one another because God commands us to do so; but we should also consider the fruit of those prayers.  We know that God will bless each of us because He is God and we are His children; but because He commands us to pray for one another, we can know that He will do something in addition/special for the person we pray for--something that He would not have done had we not prayed!

Maranatha,

Don and B'Ann

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