Sarah Palin speaking in church

I have been praying for the Lord to bring forth someone with a heart for Him - but I did not think it would be a woman! Last night I happened upon her speech, and as I was listening I felt a strange chill - some of the words she was saying sounded like truth. They all talk of God, but could it be that she really knows Him?

Oh praise the Lord!

We must pray dear saints, we must pray - for the battle will be fierce.

EDIT: Thank you for posting this Krispy.

The plot thickens.

Can Sarah actually be an Esther for America ??

Just a thought...

YouTube is a nightmare to search. Do you have a hint at the “title” of the clip?

The web site for the church she grew up in is down from overload but they sent this out. It is not YouTube. There are no politics on this (I think. At least not current politics). I would like to hear her testimony of salvation. I have the sense that if she called for fasting and prayer people would.

[url=http://www.netbroadcasting.tv/sarah_palin.html]http://www.netbroadcasting.tv/sarah_palin.html[/url]

She has four children of her own one who is less than 5 months old I believe and her 17 year old daughter is pregnant.

This is a must listen to show of Way of the Master Radio yesterday where they talk about these issues:

http://podcast.wayofthemasterradio.com/audio/podcasts/0908/WOTMR-09-03-08-Hour2.mp3

In it the issue of how conservative Christians speak so much of mothers raising families yet Pallin is given a pass on this as if being vice president is a higher calling than raising her own family.

How is being the potential vice president skipping out on one's calling to raise her family? Proverbs 31, which speaks of the virtuous woman/mother, speaks of a woman who has a job in the marketplace, which earns her husband praise. The two are not incompatible.

Hi repentCanada...

repentcanada wrote:
She has four children of her own one who is less than 5 months old I believe and her 17 year old daughter is pregnant.
...
In it the issue of how conservative Christians speak so much of mothers raising families yet Pallin is given a pass on this as if being vice president is a higher calling than raising her own family.

Not much.

Their ONLY responsibility (according to the Constitution) is to give a vote in case of a tie in the Senate. Nothing else. In fact, the tie-breaking vote by a Vice President almost never happens either.

Of course, if the President were to die, she would move into the office of the President. But even that is up to the Vice President. The VP could actually decline, which would then make the Speaker of the House (currently, Nancy Pelosi of San Francisco) the new President.

But the office of the Vice President is pretty much left up to the Vice President. Some VPs have had more influence in Washington than others. Some have pretty much stayed at home for most of that time, only coming out occassionally to make public appearances. Thomas Marshall once said, "[i]Once there were two brothers: one ran away to sea, the other was elected Vice-President - and nothing was ever heard from either of them again[/i]."

Will Rogers went further. He said, "[i]“The man with the best job in the country is the vice-president. All he has to do is get up every morning and say, 'How is the president[/i]?'" Pretty funny -- but I think that you get the point. The office of Vice President might be less time consuming than what she is doing right now (as Governor).

But to a greater extent, I think that it is a little presumptive to think that people are giving Governor Palin a "pass" or that ANYONE thinks that being a VP (or Governor for that matter) is a "higher calling than raising her own family." In fact, I think that she has stated quite the opposite. I think that it might be harsh if we equate the pregnancy of this 17 yr old daughter to the fact that this woman is the Governor. In many societies before the 20th Century (and in some today), a 17 yr old would already be considered an adult and would probably have already been married. At what point do we blame the parents for the sins of their children?

Families certainly face a situation today in which both husband and wife are often needed to earn an income. My wife has worked as a teacher for five years (at the middle school, high school and university level). We do not have children yet, and I think I might prefer her to stay home with the children when the time comes. But, in fact, many women with children now have jobs. Are you suggesting that women should not work at all (outside of the house)?

I have heard the argument that women should stay at home and not work. But where is this in Scripture? I'm not asking divisively, but I am curious as to the rationale behind this doctrinal position. Thanks!

Here is an interesting post from Voddie Baucham. Very valid points I'd say. Instead of looking at this from a political point of view, how about a Biblical one?

--------------

DID MCAIN MAKE A PRO-FAMILY VP PICK?

Conservatives are all aglow as John McCain pulled off an apparent coup d’état this week by naming Sarah Palin as his choice for Vice President. Bob Unruh, writing for the conservative Christian web magazine, Worldnet Daily may have put it best when he opened his column:

Pro-family advocates and Republicans are saying presumptive GOP nominee for president Sen. John McCain may have checkmated Democrat Sen. Barack Obama with his choice of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin as his vice-presidential running mate.

Everyone from Liberty Counsel to FRC is raving about the political genius displayed by Mr. McCain. It seems Christian conservatives have received the bone they were hoping McCain would throw their way in order to alleviate doubts about his conservative bona fides.

While I agree that from a political standpoint Mr. McCain made a brilliant political move, I am not so sure his pick can be portrayed as “pro-family.” It is true that Mrs. Palin is ardently pro-life –a distinction bolstered by the fact that she has five children, and chose not to abort a Down Syndrome baby—and she is also a fiscal conservative, a Washington outsider, and she hunts wolves from helicopters! What more could the Neocons ask for?

Unfortunately, Christians appear to be headed toward a hairpin turn at breakneck speed without the slightest clue as to the danger ahead. I don’t see this as a pro-family pick at all! Moreover, I believe the conservative fervor over this pick shows how politicized Christians have become at the expense of maintaining a prophetic voice. I believe that Mr. McCain has proven with his VP pick that he is pro-victory, not pro-family. In fact, I believe this was the anti-family pick. I say that for at least two reasons.

NOT A PRO FAMILY JOB

First, if Mr. McCain was pro-family, he would want to see Mrs. Palin at home taking care of her five children, not headed to Washington to be consumed by the responsibilities of being second in command to the most powerful man in the world (or serving as the Governor of Alaska for that matter). Let me also say that I would have the same reservations about a man with five children at home seeking the VP office. It’s not exactly a pro-family job.

FRC’s piece on Mrs. Palin links to a Wallstreet Journal article outlining her political career. While many Christian conservatives are highlighting Palin’s toughness, integrity and obvious conservative credentials (more conservative than McCain, in fact), they also seem to be ignoring several red flags.

For example, the Journal article, in an effort to highlight Palin’s ‘eco-friendly’ lifestyle, uncovers a disturbing trend that plagues far too many young women with families. The article refers to Palin’s habit of “driving herself to and from work every day from the Anchorage suburb of Wasilla, about 45 miles away.” Does this bother anyone else? Lets say the Governor averages sixty miles per hour on her daily commute (which I seriously doubt). That adds seven and a half hours per week to what one would assume is already a fifty to sixty-hour workweek (at least that if she is as driven as the article implies). This is supposed to be pro-family?

Perhaps the most disturbing revelation in the article is Mrs. Palin’s recent decision to travel for work (against her doctor’s orders) in the final days of her pregnancy. According to the article:

“Gov. Palin's opted to board a jet from Dallas in April while about to deliver a child. Gov. Palin, who was eight months pregnant, says she felt a few contractions shortly before she was to give a keynote speech to an energy summit of governors in Dallas. But she says she went ahead with it after her doctor in Alaska advised her to put her feet up to rest. "I was not going to miss that speech," she says.”

She put her child at risk, not for an official, necessary, or emergency duty as the Governor of Alaska, but because she simply “was not going to miss out on that speech.” A speech! The more I learn about the choices this woman has made, the less inclined I am to see Mr. McCain’s choice as pro-family. She may be the best working mother in America, but the evidence is questionable at best.

NOT A PRO FAMILY MESSAGE

Not only do I believe that a pro-family candidate would prefer to see Mrs. Palin at home taking care of her children, I believe a pro-family candidate would also avoid validating and advancing our culture’s desire to completely erase gender roles. Much of the discussion about Mrs. Palin’s candidacy centers around her opportunity to “break through the class ceiling” and be a “role model for young women.” The same was said of Mrs. Clinton’s candidacy in the Democratic primary. But what does this mean?

Are we really saying that we want to completely erase the distinctions between men and women. Do we really believe that it is good for our country to promote the view that women are merely men who happen to be biologically capable of having children (when it does not interfere with career advancement, of course)? I don’t think so. What do we do with the Bible’s admonition in Titus chapter two? Are Christian conservatives saying that Paul’s instructions concerning women’s duty to be “keepers of their homes” has somehow been overturned in light of recent discoveries? Or are we saying that pro-family means one thing when we’re in church, but something else when we’re trying to beat the Democrats?

Let me be clear. I am not arguing that it is always wrong for a woman to be engaged in affairs outside the home. I agree with Albert Barnes who wrote:

This does not mean, of course, that they are never to go abroad, but they are not to neglect their domestic affairs; they are not to be better known abroad than at home; they are not to omit their own duties, and become “busy-bodies” in the concerns of others. (Barnes’ Notes on the Bible)

My point is simple. The job of a wife and mother is to be a wife and mother. Anything in addition to that must also be subservient to it. There is no higher calling. Moreover, I believe Paul’s admonition should lead us to reject any notion of a wife and mother taking on the level of responsibility that Mrs. Palin is seeking.

My heart breaks for her. She has been blessed beyond measure with five incredible children, but she is running hard after what the world says is ‘something more.’ I fear she will regret this some day. In fact, I believe she already does. I can’t imagine her going to sleep at night without a nagging doubt in the back of her mind as she thinks about the time with her children that she will never get back.

My heart breaks for her children. Their mother, by all reports, is an incredible, intelligent, energetic woman with a great deal to offer. Unfortunately, right now she is offering it to the people of Alaska, and the people of the United States of America when her first priority is to offer it to them. God designed them to flourish under the nurturing care of their mother, not some surrogate.

My heart breaks for her husband. Mrs. Palin is not even supposed to be the head of her own household (Eph. 5:22ff; Col. 3:18; Titus 2:5; 1 Peter 3:1-7), let alone the State of Alaska, or the United States Senate (The VP oversees the Senate). He should be shepherding her, but instead she is ruling over him (Rom 13:1-7; 1Pet 2:13-17). How difficult it must be for him to walk the fine line of bowing to the culture that is stealing his bride while still trying to love his wife and lead his family.

My heart breaks for the so-called Christian right. All the usual subjects have been falling all over themselves to praise Mr. McCain and justify their blind allegiance to the Republican Party in an effort to secure more “pro-family” judges. They want to protect marriage from redefinition by the homosexual movement, and they are willing to redefine marriage (and motherhood) to do it.

Ironically, the Neocons are merely using Mrs. Palin as a political pawn. She is beloved because she gives them the coveted “moral high ground” in the upcoming debates. Read recent articles and the goals become clear. We must win on abortion. She makes it hard to argue for it. We must win on the race/gender issue. She gives us a woman to their ethnic minority. We must win on being young and hip. Obama is 47; Palin is 44. We must win the “change” argument. Obama is new to Washington; Palin has never served there. Checkmate!

Unfortunately, this political pawn represents a fatal flaw worldview flaw. In an effort to win the pro-family political argument, we are sacrificing the pro-family biblical argument. In essence, the message being sent to women by conservative Christians backing McCain/Palin is, “It’s ok to sacrifice your family on the altar of your career; just don’t have an abortion.” How pro-family is that?

Thank you MoreofHim for sharing this article from Voddie Baucham. I agree with this completely. What he has said here is so true, sad, but true.

I just keep thinking that we really only have one Savior, and He is not Republican or Democrat. For me I want to keep my focus on Jesus and not get pulled into chasing after people on the right or the left. The path is narrow best to keep to the straight and narrow path:-)

God Bless
Mj

People, we must beware that we do not murmur and complain against the Lord. There is one thing that is clear to me, and that is that Sarah Palin's heart is turned to the Lord. It is amazing to me that God, in His great mercy, has put someone with a heart for Him in line to be in a position of power in the cesspool of corruption that our government has become.

While we may not think that He has taken all things into consideration, I assure you that He has - our part will be to support Him in that which He has chosen. This is a call to prayer! If anyone has a problem with Sarah Palin, they should be on their face before God, asking Him to show forth the truth of the matter.

In any case, what is needed here is prayer. God has provided a ray of light in all of this darkness that America has become. Let us not be foolish in this matter by murmuring and complaining about that which we should be thankful for.

EDIT: I have removed the sentence as noted by Tears_of_Joy. Thank you for bringing this to my attention Kire.

Dear HeartSong,

You wrote:

This may be our last chance...

This statement raised two questions in me:

[i]our[/i] - who are [i]you[/i], am I included there?

[i]last chance[/i] - last chance [i]for what[/i]?

Hi Tears_of_Joy...

I don't want to speak for HeartSong, but if I were answering these questions, I might say:

Tears_of_joy wrote:

This statement raised two questions in me:

[i]our[/i] - who are [i]you[/i], am I included there?

[i]Our[/i] -- meaning America.

[i]last chance[/i] - last chance [i]for what[/i]?

Just a thought. I know that God is in control. But I still must work to pay taxes. I just prefer that my taxes aren't used to perform abortions on minors without parental consent -- or for homosexual "marriage."

:-(

Has anyone actually taken the time to listen to the way of the master show, to hear some very valid points?

ONLY Sarah Palin is responsible for Sarah Palin, we do not have the right to judge her!! I agree with Krispy on this subject also :-)

I am very sorry if this sounds rude, but I honestly don't think that people from outside the USA can understand everything that goes on in the USA!!!!

~JRuth

Repentcanada

I did listen to the way of the master show you posted and I found myself agreeing with what was shared. Thank you for sharing this.

God Bless
MJ

I also listened to the radio program and read carefully all the postings here.

[u]To Mr. Baucham[/u]: I am not interested in what Mr. McCain is, or is not, intending to do by choosing Mrs. Palin as a running mate (worldly wisdom?). The question is what is God doing/allowing? Hopefully she considered that “yolking” which is no longer just yolking with a political Party. I wonder why he missed a foundational point in marriage: Is her husband ruling over her? (Gen 3:16) It would be wise to [u]ask him[/u].

If she did seek God about this, I doubt we will ever hear what exactly she understood as God’s direction to accept. I would like to hear speeches she made during her running for Governor to see if she spoke as she did at her church, sought prayer, etc. I know she will face major temptations to compromise in her words and actions. Although her Christian beliefs seem less focused on, compared to her position on issues, I truly hope she is both Christian and able to behave that way in what follows.

In the State of Washington, Ellen Craswell ran for Governor (1996) after serving several terms in the House and Senate. She was associated with the American Heritage Party (unabashedly Christian and strongly supportive of the Constitution). She won in the primary and lost in the general election. I knew her to be a Christian. She died this April and many questions about this example of a Christian woman in government might be answered by viewing her memorial service ( TVW.org, put Ellen Craswell in the find box, select memorial service). The reality of her Christ-likeness is unavoidable. [u]I would not be surprised if just viewing this video strengthens Christians[/u].

In 1995, I recall a bible verse being pointed out, by her staff, to the effect, that when a nation [displeases God/ goes in a God less way/ denies God] He causes women to rule over them. I cannot find that reference today. I did find the following:

[u]Isaiah 3:12 [As for] my people, children [are] their oppressors, and women rule over them. O my people, they which lead thee cause [thee] to err, and destroy the way of thy paths[/u].

Anyway, if you see this memorial service, I think you will probably agree, [u]a model of a Christian wife and mother can also serve in public service[/u]. Krispy, you will particularly appreciate the offering of “American’s Hope: The Stars and Stripes Choir” which she encouraged. An sample of how she answered hostile reporter questions, like how she could be so sure about her opinions: “It is hard to know what is right. It’s even harder to do what is right. Our only hope is a right relationship with God living each day dependent on Him for wisdom to know what it is the right thing and for courage to do what is the right thing.” There were few follow-up questions with her and no negative spin from TV anchors.

I could give many other examples but as a person who prays I will leave it with her weekly gathering of her grandchildren specifically for prayer.

Although Sarah Palin, Mr. Baucham and the radio hosts are not likely to have the opportunity to see the video I have referenced, Repentcanada and MaryJane and others on SI do. MaryJane, you will appreciate the song God gave Ellen a few days before she died.

Sarah Palin needs our prayers.

I listened to the Way of the Master podcast and thought there were some very good and valid points. I am a stay at home mom myself and my heart really breaks over this. I really think all of this sends mixed messages to Christian women. I agree, this is a subject for serious prayer- and I know that the Lord is in control- but it doesn’t stop my heart from breaking. This is only the humble opinion of one stay at home mother. I am, by no means, an expert in politics.

First let me say that I like Sarah Palin and I don’t mind that it is a woman running for VP. It’s not the fact that she’s a woman- but that she’s a mom of young children. My only concern is what message this is sending to women (Christian women in particular) with children at home. I hope you all will hear my heart and not take offense. I am not bashing Sarah Palin. I’m sure she’s qualified. I am sure she’s done a lot of good things for Alaska.

For so long the evangelical world has been telling mothers that it is best for them to stay at home and that you cannot balance career AND children (which I totally agree with). If you try to do both, someone loses- and it's usually the children. Even I have struggled through the years with the decision to stay home, but time and time again I have chosen to put myself last and put my kids first. I kind of have this feeling like "[b]you mean I could have had children AND been Governor!!??[/b]" I mean, you have Christian moms who have given up their dreams and put their life on hold because we have been told and we have believed that staying home with our children is what is right (if at all possible- I know for some that it is not possible- single mothers, etc…)

I really feel this is a punch in the gut for all those moms who have chosen to stay home and for those women who have been teaching the younger moms to please stay at home while your children are young.

Now we see these same evangelical leaders endorsing Palin and saying, well, in her case, it's acceptable. It can really make a lot of young moms lose heart and just give in. "Well, if Palin can do it and get 'ok'd' by other Christians, why not go out and live my dream? Why stay home and be miserable if I can have children AND have a fulfilling job?”

Does anyone else see this?????? Does anyone see this as a double standard? As hypocrisy? We preach one thing yet make excuses for one person because it goes with our political agenda. This is not a good message to Christian women. It's is totally a mixed message we are giving them now. I don’t know why my heart is so grieved, but it is.

We’ve been fighting the effects of feminism in Christianity for a long time now and I feel this is taking such a big step backward in that area. I am not into politics. I don’t like politics. But this hits me where my heart is tender. I don’t want to judge Palin. She can choose to do what she wants- but we as Christians don’t have to agree and endorse it. I have to wonder why so many Christians are behind this decision that is totally opposite of what we have been trying to get across to women with children. Where are the Christian men who will take a stand for Christian families- and not just care about their party or their politics???.

Does any other stay at home mom feel like throwing in the towel? What have we sacrificed for?

Just 2 weeks ago at my daughter's Christian college, a young mom of an 11 month old and a 3 yr old, accidently left her 11 month old in her van ALL day while she was in the college working. It was a 90 degree day and the baby died. The mom of these two young children was also a counselor and teacher at the college. She had recently just changed her daycare routine and 'forgot' that she had not dropped off the younger one with the older child. This is a horrible situation. My heart breaks for this mother. I can't imagine the guilt. But again, she had two small children and was trying to balance career and children. When you try to balance both, someone loses, and this case, it was her baby girl. The mom was just so busy and had so much going on. I know this is getting more common- mothers accidently leaving their children in the car or whatever. If we think it's bad now, it could be a lot worse when more moms go to work and get busy with both work and having a family.

I don’t know what the answer to all of this is. I just know I’m torn up over the situation and how it could be a huge turning point for Christian women. My heart will grieve all the more if many moms decide that they too want to have both family and career- and many children will end up with part time moms.

I am praying that the Lord will check my heart if I am wrong in any way. I guess I could be completely wrong. If I am, maybe I should go out and get a nice fulfilling career of my own.