Candidate Sunday 8-14-2022
Pastor Phil Derstine
I. Our Blessed Nation - Dedicated to God as a Christian Nation
- Psalm 33:12 "Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD…"
· John Patrick Henry “It cannot be emphasized too clearly and too often that this nation was founded, not by religionists, but by Christians, not on religion, but on the gospel of Jesus Christ. For this very reason, peoples of other faiths have been afforded asylum, prosperity, and freedom of worship here.”
· George Washington "It is impossible to govern the world without God and the Bible."
· John Quincy Adams “The highest glory of the American Revolution was this: it connected in one indissoluble bond, the principles of civil government with the principles of Christianity.”
· Thomas Jefferson "The reason that Christianity is the best friend of Government is because Christianity is the only religion that changes the heart."
· Declaration of Independence: “We hold these truths to be self-evident that all men are created equal; endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights: Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.”
· Coins: “LIBERTY- IN GOD WE TRUST”
· Songs: National Anthem (Vrs. 4) “…this Heav’n rescued land” - “This be our motto: In God is our trust!”
My Country, ‘Tis of Thee (Vrs. 4) “Protect us by Thy might, Great God our King.”
America The Beautiful “America, America, God shed His Grace on Thee…”
· Pledge: “One Nation, under God…”
· U.S. Capital Prayer Window: Psalm 16:1 “Preserve me, O God, for in Thee do I put my trust.”
· Washington Monument: “Praise be to God” (Latin - Laus Deo)
· Supreme Court Building – Sculpture of Moses holding the 10 Commandments above main entrance.
· Supreme Courtroom – Huge oak entrance doors engraved with depiction of the 10 Commandments.
· James Madison “We have staked the whole of all our political institutions upon the capacity of mankind for self-government, upon the capacity of each and all of us to govern ourselves, to control ourselves, and to sustain ourselves according to the Ten Commandments of God.”
· Proverbs 14:34 “Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a disgrace to any people.”
· Proverbs 29:2 “When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; but when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn.”
II. Leadership - Capacity to influence others through inspiration, generated by a passion, ignited by a purpose.
· Inspiration (def): A divine influence on a person (partner with God)
· Vision – The ability to see, imagine, or dream. Gives purpose and direction
· Values – A person’s principles or standards of behavior, one’s judgement of what is important in life.
· II Chron. 7:14 “If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal the land.”
III. Our Responsibility
· Exodus 18:21 “But select capable men… who fear God, trustworthy men, who hate dishonest gain….”
· Vote Righteous: Faith in God - Christian Ethics - Biblical Standards - Moral Convictions - Family Values
· Our religious freedoms are eroding, from founding fathers’ original Christian intentions, moral
absolutes, Biblical standards…
· James 2:17 “Faith without works is dead” (Evil triumphs when good men do nothing)
Abraham Lincoln “America will never be destroyed from the outside. If we falter and lose our freedom, it will be because we destroyed ourselves.”
