Guest Blog Author: Personal Convictions on Voting for John McCain and Sarah Palin

We live in the greatest God-given nation in the history of the world. At this point, as the election is tomorrow, I want to share a few thoughts of my own. As a Christian man who submits himself to the Lordship of Jesus Christ, my first and foremost resolution of heart in all matters is determined by His influence. I desire my core values, as a follower of Him, to be established by His heart, values, and nature. As a supreme ruler of the universe, the Lord's desire and plan for this nation was established on the basis of His character, His grace, His mercy and His life. Everything I believe is founded and run through the grid of the heart of God, as He is the only One who will guide, protect, and maintain the foundational elements of freedom in this land that all of us have been given the right to enjoy and the responsibility to cultivate for other generations to follow. This is not a light matter. I have a choice to embrace or not to embrace God's purposes for America, realizing that my choices always have consequences. You have the right of choice. So, amid all the rhetoric and opinions of man, my ultimate desire is to ask the Lord, what do You say and what are You doing in this hour? I believe that those who humble themselves under His banner will hear from Him and be used to carry out His heart, which is ultimate goodness for this nation. When a poisonous apple covered in gold is offered, true Godly wisdom will warn of the inherent poison of the apple. Our own thinking will see only the apparent goodness or outer gold. Most people would agree that evil should not be tolerated, so that goodness would prevail. Unfortunately, what the Lord considers evil is not understood or seen by many. Why? It takes a humbling of heart to allow Jesus to speak His desires and then for each of us to hear what He is saying. So many form their opinions according to what they personally think alone rather than on what the Lord says and directs. He is speaking. He is not an opinion. He is not an idea. He is truth. Can we as a nation hear what the Lord is saying and act on it? I believe we can.

We have witnessed this very scenario in the realm of the growing atrocity of the murders of those who have no voice. There has been no stopping the carnage of millions of aborted lives. To date, 42-52 million lives have been snuffed out since the 1973 Roe vs Wade decision. That's a fact, and it is not refutable. Many in America have tried to justify this with their multifaceted defenses that ultimately hold no weight when it comes to life and death. Their thoughts have been cleverly woven together, presented as moral acts to benefit our society. Ultimately those who defy what the Lord has put in place for us to enjoy in our families, workplaces, and communities, unknowingly allow the very enemy of their souls to steal it away. The bottom line is, millions and millions of lives have been snuffed out. Period. An entire generation of future scientists, governmental leaders, missionaries, business people, architects, mothers and fathers, lawyers, doctors, truck drivers, etc. are lost and can't be brought back. What does the Lord think about all of this? How does this affect us personally and as a nation? Compare this number to the entire population of many countries; it's amazing. Along that same line, look at the numbers of those lives taken during the Holocaust....6 million Jews. America has already murdered 42 - 52 million defenseless people. Who was (and still is) represented in this infanticide of the womb? An entire generation of American children, who had wonderful destinies and plans for their lives, have been eradicated from the land of the free and the home of the brave. This is unequivocally and demonstratively against the heart and law of the very Lord who has allowed us to live in this land and carry out His mandates fro true justice and freedom. We need to cry out for forgiveness and mercy so we can get back on track with His heart, as it grieves Him and will allow more of our rights, freedoms, and enjoyments to be taken away. We need to recognize the real enemy of our land and do what it takes to stop the evil. The law of life and love has been repeatedly ignored, pushed aside, resisted, and militantly opposed under the guise of preference for the rights of others. There is no comparison. Here is the golden apple. If we choose to lift up righteousness and turn away from evil, God promises to heal our land. The Word of God states in 2 Chronicles 7:14 that "If my people who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray, seek My face and turn from their wicked ways (which is lifting up righteousness), THEN I will hear from heaven, forgive their sin and heal their land." We need a healing in our land. A nation that exalts righteousness will be blessed. Everything positive will spill out of that effort....the increase in our economy, world security, Godly family values, and all the other issues that challenge our nation. Anyone who studies the history of nations can see the contagious thread of unrighteousness being the cause of the elimination of true freedom. For us in America, nothing should be allowed to trump this vital issue of life and death, as only the knowledge of the truth will set us free and keep us free. We have been the recipients of life and goodness, and must strongly resist anything that will rob us (and future generations) of this inheritance from the Lord. Many have gone before me to protect my rights and have even given their lives for my freedom and yours! I must demonstrate my gratitude to them (and the Lord) through my attitudes and actions. Also, I have a responsibility to leave that precious inheritance to my son, David, his children, and grandchildren. Our purpose in living is not for ourselves, but for others, just as Jesus rose from the dead to give us new life in Him as we fully embrace who He is and what it means to follow Him wholeheartedly. In America, we need eyes to see these truths.

Obama said on national television for all to hear (during one of the Presidential debates) that the 1973 Roe vs. Wade decision was a good one. My heart was deeply grieved when I heard him speak. He obviously has not seen the inherent evil of the slaughter of live (aka, abortion) in this nation. That's unconscionable. No matter the rhetoric, both Obama and Biden are firmly and blatantly pro-abortion. Someone who is against something will do whatever it takes to stop evil, not to promote it, or skirt around it. Their walk will match their talk. The Obama/Biden ticket has made it clear that, if elected, one of Obama's first actions as President would be the signing of the Freedom of Choice Act. This act would eliminate every other law against partial-, birth abortion, parental notification, etc. They hold many other unrighteous positions, but this one alone is particularly heinous, and significant enough to render my stand for total unacceptability of their ticket. Additionally, we need justices in the Supreme Court that would uphold the family values that undergird our society. Both Obama and Biden have track records that have voted against the justices who have attempted to uphold these traditions. Check it for yourself and don't be fooled, Obama has his own standard for the appointment of future justices, as well, and one of the "tests" will be where a person stands on Roe vs. Wade. This lack of understanding, judgment, and vision are clear indicators that the Obama/Biden ticket is not God's best for our country, as these qualities are foundational for all other issues. If we Americans think that we can freely exist in a country that continues to violate the very nature of the One who gave us life to begin with, we are grievously in error. Arrogance loves to take the form of true humility, but it's only a facade, and will rear it ugly head in due time. My hope is that America will wake up and realize the great stakes of this election, the seriousness of the timing, and God's attempts to make Himself, His purposes, and His goodness known. Obama is not the one who should be put at the helm of the greatest country in the world. We are at a crossroads in our nation, and I will vote for those who will stand for a voice for the unborn and will appoint justices who will attempt to be led by a voice bigger than their own. We must work toward the removal of the moral decay and societal degeneration  of values from this great country so we can look forward to the future of one nation, under God, indivisible. with liberty and justice for all. This will then insure our national security, economic stability, educational advancement, energy viability, healthcare reform, family values, and more. Don't be caught up in the hype, ask the Lord for His vision. He is the One who is behind life and will open the eyes of any who truly want His heart to be carried throughout this great nation. I urge you to pray and vote for those who are determined to uphold the sanctity of life andf righteousness, which will unleash the true hope and prosperity that this nation had once valued so highly....and by God's grace, will again.

I have so many more reasons, but I hope you all take time to consider and pray what would be the will of God in this election-- as there are stark differences in the direction this country will be taking. God bless you all and God Bless America! May His perfect will reign supreme.

Michael Wheeler