What did last Tuesday’s “wave election” really mean?

As America moves closer — dangerously closer — to implosion, Tuesday’s elections were stunning to the so-called political “experts” and to many of us.

They represented a landslide of support for candidates defending the sanctity of human life, the sanctity of natural marriage, focusing on the importance of balancing the federal budget and not racking up trillions of dollars in new debt, cutting wasteful spending, and vigorously supporting Israel as a key American ally. This was encouraging, not because a certain political party took control, but because people advancing certain values and ideals gained working control of Congress.

The media constantly tells us that defending natural marriage and the sanctity of life are radioactive positions for political leaders. This election wave shows just the opposite. Voters are increasingly pushing back at radical efforts to attack life and marriage, as well as suicidal moves in Washington, D.C. to overspend and bankrupt country.

Does the magnitude of the wave suggest we seeing early signs of a national awakening — a growing desire to save America and get her back on track — before it’s too late?

It is too early to draw such conclusions. But it was striking to see wave election sweeping into federal offices and state offices so many Christian candidates and others defending Biblical values. Will they govern the way they campaigned? Do they have the courage and patience to start turning the federal government in the right direction? Again, it’s too early to say. But let us pray that they do, and let us work to keep their feet to the fire and make them accountable to the people.

That said, let there be no doubt: America is still hurtling towards implosion. We have murdered nearly 60 million babies since 1973. We have piled up nearly $20 trillion debt. If we do not make major changes soon — in our hearts, and in our way of governance — we will face God’s judgment. This is certain.

A Great Awakening is urgently needed. We desperately need to repent of our sins and turn to faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. We need to plead with Him for revival in the Church and a wholesale transformation of American society.

At the same time, we need great leadership in Washington and our state capitals to make major reforms before it is too late.

So let us keep praying, keep fasting, keep beseeching the Lord to have mercy on America, even as we keep working to save America spiritually, economically, and in so many other ways.

ARTICLES WORTH READING:

• Ralph Reed: Contra Media Narrative, Voters of Faith Still Matter (National Review Online) — “On Election Day, self-identified conservative Christians made up 32 percent of the electorate and voted 86 percent Republican and only 12 percent Democrat. These voters contributed an astonishing 52.4 percent of all the votes received by Republican candidates. This constituency, the largest and most vibrant in the electorate, is larger than the African-American vote, Hispanic vote, union vote, and gay vote combined. White Evangelicals, meanwhile, made up 23 percent of the electorate and voted 82 percent Republican and 18 percent Democratic, according to the survey. Glen Bolger of Public Opinion Strategies, commented on the findings. ‘Republicans rode the wave last night to stunning victories. Waves come from a committed base and a strong showing among swing voters,’ Bolger said. ‘Voters of faith — Protestant and Catholic — are the foundation of the GOP. Without their overwhelming support, there is no GOP majority. With their support, Republicans are celebrating a high tide in the U.S. Senate, House, and around the country.’”
• House Democrats deep in abyss (Politico) — “House Democrats are deeper in the minority than they have been in 80 years.” Can they dig out?
• There’s a Record Number of Pro-Life Women Headed to Congress (National Review Online)
• Abortion can still be a winning issue — Conservatives just need to be much smarter in how they talk about it (The Week)
• Sixth circuit upholds traditional definitions of marriage — “The rush to gay marriage in the U.S. has hit a roadblock.” (Politico)
• Poll: Support for legalizing marijuana drops in the U.S. (Politico)

Yesterday, Lynn and I learned that The Auschwitz Escape has been nominated for the GoodReads 2014 Choice Awards in the category of “Best Historical Fiction of 2014.”

These are the only major annual book awards that is based on how readers’ themselves vote.

We are excited and deeply honored to see our book nominated. And we are so grateful for everyone who has already voted for The Auschwitz Escape.

There are a range of different categories of nominated books. Please browse through all of them and vote for your favorites, whatever they are. To see the Historical Fiction Category, please click here. Use Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and other social media to let friends know about the awards and get them involved, as well.

Already, more than 800,000 people have participated in the first few days of voting — hope you will, too!

Here are more details about the awards from GoodReads:

All year you’ve been devouring books and rating them on Goodreads. Some of your favorite authors have released new blockbusters. Some quiet debuts have become smash hits. And now it’s all reflected in the nominations for the 2014 Goodreads Choice Awards—the only major book awards decided by readers!

How did we arrive at the 15 different nominees in 20 categories ranging from Fiction to Fantasy to Food & Cookbooks to Young Adult Fiction? Lots and lots of numbers! Instead of relying on experts or judges, we analyzed statistics from the 275 million books added, rated, and reviewed on Goodreads in 2014.

We’re so excited to congratulate all of the nominees! There are some epic match-ups in this year’s list….

You have three chances to vote. The Opening Round lasts until November 8. Vote now to make sure your favorite books make it into the Semifinals (November 10 – 15) and Finals (November 17 – 24).

It’s Election Day in the United States. Enormous, daunting challenges face the American people when it comes to the economy, national security, defending marriage and the sanctity of human life, protecting our religious freedom, our relationship with Israel, and many other issues with moral and spiritual dimensions. Indeed, when it comes to the type of people who will govern state and federal government, the stakes could not be higher. So, what are two things every Christian should do?

Here are excepts from my 2012 book, Implosion. 

1. Christians need to pray faithfully and consistently for wisdom and direction for our national leaders.

We may not always be happy with what our leaders are doing and saying, but we need to pray for them anyway. Failing to do so is disobedience to God.

• As the apostle Paul instructed Timothy and the church he pastored in Ephesus, “First of all, then, I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men, for kings and all who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity” (1 Timothy 2:1-2).
• Paul told the church in Rome to “render to all what is due them: tax to whom tax is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honor to whom honor (Romans 13:7).
• The apostle Peter reinforced this message. “Be careful to live properly among your unbelieving neighbors. Then even if they accuse you of doing wrong, they will see your honorable behavior, and they will give honor to God when he judges the world. For the Lord’s sake, respect all human authority—whether the king as head of state, or the officials he has appointed. For the king has sent them to punish those who do wrong and to honor those who do right. It is God’s will that your honorable lives should silence those ignorant people who make foolish accusations against you. For you are free, yet you are God’s slaves, so don’t use your freedom as an excuse to do evil. Respect everyone, and love your Christian brothers and sisters. Fear God, and respect the king.” (1 Peter 2:12-17, NLT)

The Christians who founded this great country certainly were men and women of prayer. Indeed, because of the First Great Awakening, many of our nation’s early leaders had become deeply faithful in praying and fasting. They most definitely prayed for God to protect and guide those in authority. But they also prayed that God would remove tyrants and unfit men from leadership and replace them with new leaders who had great wisdom and sound judgment to govern the struggling nation. Should we do any less today?

2. Christians need to exercise their right to vote and mobilize others to vote as well.

Americans are not slaves of an empire. By God’s grace, we are free people and citizens of the greatest democratic republic in the history of mankind. Very few people in history have had a say in who got elected in their countries and what values and policies those leaders would defend and advance, but we have that very privilege. How dare we ignore and squander it? We should take this right seriously. As Jesus said, “From everyone who has been given much, much will be required” (Luke 12:48).

Over the past four decades, the number of Americans of voting age who describe themselves as born-again Christians has risen from 50 million to more than 80 million. While such Christians do not have the numbers to dominate American politics, we can play a decisive role. But we cannot have any influence on the direction of our country if we don’t get involved. So if we want to help our government fundamentally change direction—if we’re committed to doing everything possible to avoid an economic and cultural implosion—we need to be serious, focused, and involved in the political process.

What does this mean for you if you’re a Christian?

• At the very least you should register to vote and then go to the polls to vote your conscience.
• Encourage others to register to vote too.
• Become informed on the issues, and help educate your friends.
• Pay close attention to what the candidates are saying and what their records are.
• Study all candidates carefully. Don’t make any rash decisions. Weigh all the elements—a candidate’s character, history, marriage, experience, voting record, views on the issues, speeches, statements, articles, ads, advisors, and allies.
• Don’t expect candidates to be perfect. Remember that campaigns are about choices. You will be presented with flawed candidates. That’s a given. So you must carefully choose the least flawed, most principled, most experienced, and most effective candidates during primaries and during general elections.
• Don’t ignore a candidate’s moral failures.
• Don’t ignore unorthodox religious views.
• Don’t ignore that uneasy feeling you have in your gut that you can’t explain but that you sense is trouble.
• Study hard, and weigh everything carefully.
• Patiently ask God for wisdom. And don’t simply pray; fast as well.

When you find a candidate you like and can trust, ask the Lord whether he would have you help that candidate with your time, your talent, or your treasure. The Lord doesn’t call every believer to get actively involved in a campaign beyond voting, but some he does. Do only what the Lord tells you to do, no more but no less. And when the time comes, vote—and mobilize others to vote—and then trust the Lord with the results. As the prophet Daniel told us, ultimately it is the Lord who “removes kings and establishes kings” (Daniel 2:21). So don’t let yourself become depressed if your candidate loses. God is still in control. And don’t gloat if your candidate wins. Keep your eyes on Jesus Christ, the King of kings and the Lord of lords.

Not all Christians are going to agree on every issue or every candidate, of course. But consider how much impact Christians could make in reshaping the fundamental direction of the White House, the Congress, the federal courts, and the Supreme Court (as well as local and state government) if we unified behind leaders who share and represent our values. Consider a few facts:

• In 1976, 35 percent of voting-age Americans (about 50 million people) described themselves as “born again,” according to a Gallup poll.[i]
• That same year, fully 50 percent of self-described born-again Christians voted for Democrat Jimmy Carter, playing a critical role in helping Carter win the presidency over the Republican incumbent Gerald Ford.[ii]
• By 1980, the number of self-described born-again Christians in America had increased to 39 percent, according to Gallup.[iii]
• That same year, born-again Christians broke against Carter, voting almost two-to-one (61 percent to 34 percent) for Republican candidate Ronald Reagan and playing a key factor in Reagan’s victory.[iv]
• In 1984, Reagan won 78 percent of the Christian vote in his landslide victory over Democrat Walter Mondale, who received only 22 percent.[v]
• Republican George H. W. Bush won a stunning 81 percent of the evangelical vote in 1988 as part of his lopsided victory over Democrat Michael Dukakis, who received only 18 percent.[vi]
• However, when born-again Christian support for George H. W. Bush declined significantly in 1992—he secured only 59 percent of this critical voter bloc—Bush ended up losing the presidency to Democrat Bill Clinton, who received 21 percent (Independent Ross Perot siphoned off the remainder of born-again Christian voters).[vii]
• In 1996, Bill Clinton increased his share of the evangelical vote to 43 percent, which helped him defeat Bob Dole, who secured only 49 percent—the lowest percentage for any Republican in two decades.[viii]
• By 2000, the number of voting-age Americans who described themselves as born again had increased to 45 percent (about 87 million people).[ix]
• That same year, Republican George W. Bush, a devout and outspoken evangelical Christian, won 57 percent of the born-again Christian vote (which was far more than Dole but actually less than his father, George H. W. Bush) and only very narrowly defeated Democrat Al Gore, who received 42 percent.[x]
• In 2004, George W. Bush specifically and heavily courted Christians and won 62 percent of the self-described born-again Christian vote and defeated Democrat John Kerry, who secured only 38 percent.[xi]
• In 2008, Republican candidate John McCain was faring poorly among Christians for much of the election cycle. His numbers improved after he named Sarah Palin, a devout and outspoken evangelical, to the ticket, but not enough to defeat Democrat Barack Obama. In the end, McCain won 57 percent of the born-again vote, while Obama won 41 percent.[xii]
• In 2010, a stunning 77 percent of self-described born-again Christians voted for Republican candidates running for the House of Representatives, while only 19 percent voted for Democrat candidates, resulting in a landslide victory for the GOP in which they picked up sixty-three congressional seats and won back control of the House.[xiii]

How will the American government be shaped in the future? Christians could play a key role in answering this question.

But one thing is certain: disunity will destroy us. Jesus said, “If a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand” (Mark 3:25). If in coming elections Christians are divided between candidates who share our biblical principles and constitutional convictions, who practice what they preach, and on the other hand candidates who are opposed to our principles or who flip-flop on them or cannot be trusted for other reasons, then elections will be won by candidates who do not share our values. In turn, we will lose the opportunity to turn this ship of state around.

But if Christians register to vote en masse and unite behind serious, substantive, pro-life, pro-marriage, pro-growth, pro-defense candidates who truly use the Constitution as their guide, then we have a real chance to put solid candidates in office and empower them to make the reforms we so desperately need to rescue our country from the abyss.

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[i] This number is cited here to describe a political reality, not a spiritual one. The number does not necessarily reflect how many Americans in 1976 truly understood the biblical meaning of the term born again found in John 3, believed every element of orthodox Christian teaching in the New Testament, and were fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ who had a personal relationship with him. Rather, it simply reflects a pollster asking a voter, “Do you consider yourself a born-again Christian?” and the voter saying yes. Also, it should be noted that these numbers (and those that follow in this section of the book) specifically refer to white born-again Christians, as this is the group the Gallup poll was tracking. See Albert L. Winseman, “‘Born-Agains’ Wield Political, Economic Influence,” Gallup commentary, April 13, 2004, http://www.gallup.com/poll/11269/bornagains-wield-political-economic-influence.aspx.

[ii] See Doug Wead, “The History of the Evangelical Vote in Presidential Elections,” column on Wead’s blog, September 11, 2008. Wead was a political advisor to Presidents George H. W. Bush and George W. Bush on evangelical political matters. He analyzed the numbers from numerous public and private exit polls, leaning most heavily on Gallup data. See http://dougwead.wordpress.com/2008/09/11/the-history-of-the-evangelical-vote-in-presidential-elections/.

[iii] The 39 percent figure comes from a December 7-10, 1979, poll. See Table 1, Gallup Poll Evangelical Questions, Conrad Hackett and D. Michael Lindsay, “Measuring Evangelicalism: Consequences of Different Operationalization Strategies,” Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion, Volume 47, Issue 3, August 28, 2008, p. 502.

[iv] See Sara Diamond, Not by Politics Alone: The Enduring Influence of the Christian Right, (New York: Guilford Press, 1998) p. 62; see also Doug Wead, http://dougwead.wordpress.com/2008/09/11/the-history-of-the-evangelical-vote-in-presidential-elections/. The New York Times reported Reagan winning 56 percent of the born-again vote to 40 percent for Carter. See http://elections.nytimes.com/2008/results/president/national-exit-polls.html. The differences come from how pollsters define “born-again Christians,” including whether they only include Protestants or also include Catholics.

[v] Wead.

[vi] Ibid.

[vii] Ibid. The Ross Perot numbers come from the New York Times exit polls. See http://elections.nytimes.com/2008/results/president/national-exit-polls.html.

[viii] Ibid.

[ix] Winseman.

[x] Wead.

[xi] Ibid.

[xii] In March 2008, polls showed Senator McCain was losing the Christian vote to an unnamed Democratic nominee (Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton were still battling for the nomination), 36 percent to 45 percent, with 19 percent of Christian voters undecided. Among Protestants, McCain pulled even with the Democrats at 40 percent. But the Democrats had a strong 32-point lead over McCain among Catholics. Among white evangelical Protestants, McCain was doing better (51 percent to 28 percent) but had certainly not rallied born-again voters behind him at that point. For an analysis of Senator McCain’s challenges among born-again Christians earlier in the campaign year, see Joel C. Rosenberg, “McCain’s Evangelical Problem,” National Review Online, March 26, 2008, http://www.nationalreview.com/blogs/print/224034. For final numbers, see New York Times exit poll data, http://elections.nytimes.com/2008/results/president/national-exit-polls.html.

[xiii] See CNN’s national exit polls for the 2010 midterm congressional elections, posted online at http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2010/results/polls/#USH00p1.