​Over the next few days, there will be a lot of discussion of election, voting, results, and politics like never before.  Although this has been ramping up over the last two years, these last few months have seemed like they have been years-long regarding the amount of political stimulus each day.  At times, including Christians, each demographic has been the center of some polls.  Each American has the right to vote for the nominee they choose who is best for each position up for election.  Each Christian has an obligation to Jesus Christ to vote for the nominee with the policies, although no nominee will ever be perfect, that aligns more with the Bible.  There is power in the Christian vote.  The Christian vote is more powerful each Sunday, each weekday, and each time mid-week service takes place.  What does that mean, it means some Christians are more focused on voting for a political candidate than being faithful to the house of God each service day or being faithful to God as a Christian during the week.  Being a Christian is not a title that a person wears when going to vote for a political office, it is the identifying mark of people who have denied their desires, picked up the calling God has for their life, and are actively following Jesus (Luke 9:23; Matthew 16:24).  Christians vote each time they allow small things to keep them from being in the house of God (Luke 14:18-20; Luke 9:59-62; Proverbs 26:13-14).  Christians vote when they get offended at the man of God when the truth is preached (Psalm 119:165; James 1:19; Luke 7:23; Matthew 11:6; Proverbs 29:11).  Christians vote when they leave a church to find an easier, more relevant church that is current with the culture (1 Timothy 4:7; 2 Timothy 4:4; Titus 1:14; 2 Peter 1:16; Ephesians 4:14; Colossians 2:8).  Christians vote when they choose to sin and mock God (1 Corinthians 6:9-10; Galatians 5:19-21; Ephesians 2:3; Galatians 6:7; Romans 2:6-8).  Christianity is not based on a voting system but on submission to God (James 4:7; Romans 6:22; 1 Corinthians 7:22; Romans 6:16).  The power of the Christian vote is not only in the election booth but is found more in the normal Christian life of which side will win, flesh or spirit.  God has given His people the ability to choose, but as Christians, they must be wise as serpents but innocent as doves (Matthew 10:16).  Using wisdom and every resource God has given His people allows Christians to have victory when casting their vote for God’s choice and not the vote of flesh or selfish desires.  God’s people must use their power to vote for whatever and whoever God chooses.  When God calls a person to a local pastor, that person must vote to stay with that pastor and church (Ephesians 4:11; Jeremiah 3:15; Hebrews 13:17; Hebrews 10:25).  When God calls a person to His kingdom, that person must vote to stay with God’s kingdom until salvation is obtained (Matthew 24:13; James 1:12; Romans 5:3-5; 2 Timothy 2:12; Hebrews 10:36).  May God’s people choose to be wise, submit to God, use their ability to vote for God’s choice and not one’s desires.  It is God’s choice that leads to life, not a person’s flesh.  For more information about Abundant Grace Church, visit agcsparta.org.  

​Near the end of October each year, some Christians begin to be festive with a celebration of darkness that opposes light.  Halloween represents the absence of light, death, fear, tricks, horror, the demonic realm, and a grim or ghostly atmosphere.  Of those Christians who celebrate such a night, they will excuse the behavior with innocence and tradition.  When Christians celebrate darkness, they befriend their God's enemy (1 John 1:6).  This is one of the reasons the Bible tells Christians to have no part in the unfruitful works of darkness but to expose the darkness (Ephesians 5:11).  Light exposes the darkness and pierces it to reveal the hidden things.  When this happens, some people do not like the light, while others appreciate the light and the exposure to the dangers of the hidden things in the darkness.  Those who do not like the light are upset because their hidden things are being revealed (John 3:19).  Those who appreciate the light follow the light out of darkness to a brighter future (Acts 26:18).  Darkness is never innocent.  Things that represent darkness are never innocent.  The Bible gives a stern command to not allow the deception of the world’s customs and culture to be the leading entity for Christians but for them to have their mind renewed to the things of God (Romans 12:2).  When Christians celebrate darkness, they are going back to their previous mindset of an unbeliever (2 Corinthians 4:4) or they have been deceived into excusing this type of behavior as innocent by other people who practice the same sin (Ephesians 5:6-9).  When darkness has been removed from a person’s life (Colossians 1:13), why would that person ever want to go back to that same darkness?  The answer is usually there is a remaining love for the darkness that has not been addressed within that person’s heart.  Christians should not trade the Light of God for darkness at any time, especially during Halloween.  God’s people should be trading darkness for the Light (1 Thessalonians 5:5).  There is no darkness in God (1 John 1:5), and there should be no darkness in His people or a love for darkness in His people (3 John 11).  There is also a warning for those who call evil good and good evil (Isaiah 5:20).  This is part of the deception of the darkness of Halloween, and such events are to masquerade evil as an innocent event that is still good while deceiving so many who numb their heart and ears to the Spirit of God because no one can participate in the things of the Lord and of demons and be in right-standing with God (1 Corinthians 10:21).  The Bible calls anyone who celebrates darkness while saying they walk with God a liar (1 John 1:6).  As a Christian, do not be deceived by vain words, culture, or any other ploy of the spiritual wickedness seeking to pull God’s people away from Him (1 Peter 5:8).  Understand the tactics of darkness, expose them for their actions, and submit to God (James 4:7).  Trade the darkness of the world and of God’s spiritual enemy for the Light of God (John 1:4-5).  Only He can give true peace that is not found within anything of the world (Luke 1:79).  The Light of God has plans and blessings for those who submit to Him (Jeremiah 29:11).  May Christians choose not to celebrate the darkness any longer but celebrate the Light of God that brings what the darkness cannot to those who serve God.  For more information about Abundant Grace Church visit agcsparta.org.