How should we respond to the election of our new president?

Below are 4 ways we are to respond to the election of our new president:

Praise

Praise God that we have come so far from the horrible injustice of racism. This election will mark a monumental day in the history of man kind. I am privileged to have witnessed it.

Pray

Pray for the protection of Obama. That our nation is now to be led by a black president is a glorious thing. Those who do not agree with this will go to extreme measures to change it. Pray for the protection our new president.

Pray for wisdom and that Obama would be led by the word of God and not the foolishness of mans own thoughts.

Pray for a changed heart toward abortion. Pray that the injustice of abortion (which is equally as heinous as the holocaust and slavery were) would be seen for what it is. May God enlighten the eyes of Obama's heart to protect and not destroy the lives of unborn children.

Respect and do not slander

There are many who desired a different outcome to this election. God, by His sovereign hand, has put Obama into leadership over our nation (Rom 13:1). Our response to this is to pray for him and to pay respect to him. Let none who follow Jesus slander those whom God puts into authority (Rom 13:1-7).

Palin, David, Nebuchadnezzar and the Glory of God

Although I do not talk politics much at all, one thing seems clear and helpful to me during this election year. I have heard much about the experience (or lack thereof) between Sarah Palin and Joe Biden. Although Biden might have many more years experience than Palin, it does not necessarily follow that better choices will be made. The truth is no matter how much experience a person has, it does not epuip them to make good choices. It will only be a solid conviction that God's word is absolute and true that will bring about God honoring, and therefore good choices. 2 Tim 3:16-17

Consider David. He was probably the least likely person to kill Golliath and lead a successful army. He may have been the least qualified person in the eyes of man, but it was not his qualification that helped him. It was his faith and obedience to God.

Now consider Nebuchadnezzar. Nebuchadnezzar had done much to extend his kingdom throughout Babylon. He had the experience of building a beautiful empire. Despite the warning given to him from David to glorify God and not himself, he does not honor God. The result - he becomes like an animal of the field. He cannot reason as humans do. His right frame of mind and reason is returned when he honored God.

“For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God.” 1 Cor 1:26-29

May your trust not be in the wisdom of man, but in man's obedience to the wisdom of God and commitment to the glory of God.

You Will Be Mastered by Something...

In Matthew 6:24 Jesus tells us that no one can serve two masters, either we will serve our heavenly Master or we will serve another master (in this case the master of money). Either way we will serve and be mastered by something. What will it be? Money (and all other worldly things) cares nothing about its servant. It will take all that we have regardless of who it hurts or who's life it destroys. God is master the way a good father is master over his children. A good father expects obedience not for personal gain, but for the good of the child. In serving our Master in heaven, everything he expects from us is for our good. "No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money." Which will you choose?

Father in heaven, help me to not be mastered by money or anything else. Help me to serve and follow hard after you, my Lord, my Master.
"The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak" Mt 26:41

The Many Effects of the Word of God

O, how many ways God's word effects our lives. Psalm 119 is a wonderful help in pressing on to know God's word and to store it up in our hearts. Here are some encouragements to know God's word and to commit scripture to memory.

Ways that knowing God's word effects our lives (not exhaustive by any means, and many of these occur multiple times throughout this psalm):
v.9 - Purity
v.11 - Storing up leads to obedience
v. 24 - Council
v. 28 - Strength
v. 42 - Answers for the unbelieving
v. 43 - Hope
v. 46 - Shamelessness
v. 52 - Comfort
v. 63 - Fear of the Lord
v. 92 - Help in affliction
v. 93 - Life
v. 94 - Victory over sin
v. 98 - Wisdom
v. 100 - Resistance from sin
v. 104 - Hatred for every false way (sin, temptation, lies...)
v. 105 - Guidance
v. 111 - Joy
v. 130 - Understanding
v. 164 - Praise for God

"I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you." Psalm 119:11

The Painful Affliction of a Loving Father

"...in faithfulness you have afflicted me." ~Psalm 119:75

In the midst of trials and afflictions and times when it seems that nothing goes right, it is sweetly comforting and helpful to know that God is faithful and this affliction is not without purpose. It is out of love (Matt 7:9-11) and for our building up (Heb 12:5-11) that God brings affliction to His children. Our Father gives only good gifts to His children, even if it is disguised as a painful experience.

Two immediate ways within this Psalm that affliction is good for God's children:

1. It helps us to learn and know God's statutes. (v.72)
Although we often know obedience vs. disobedience, "knowing" the law is sometimes more difficult. God's law is more than just for obedience sake, it shows what is good for us. There are reasons for these rules. They keep us safe. They keep us out of trouble. A child may not understand why the bright red coil on top of the stove should not be touched. And it may take a painful experience for the child to understand the do-not-touch rule is for their good.

2. It causes us to keep his word. (v.67)
Our afflictions should cause us to strive to keep God's law the same way an earthly father's discipline should cause us to do what is told. A child who knows he is loved by his father desires to obey, not only out of a healthy fear, but out of love and respect.

Father, give me eyes to see in this light in the midst of my afflictions. Help me to trust that it is from you and it is for my good.

Life is not about possessions...life is about God!

And [Jesus] said to them, “Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” -Luke 12:15

Jesus tells a parable of a rich man who grew an abundance of crops and built a new barn to store them. The rich man feels the security and contentment of abundance and thinks about how relaxing life will now be. He is considered a foolish man because that night his life will be taken and his treasure is of no use to him. The rich man had an empty treasure--one that would not bring the security he wanted.

Life is not about possessions, it is about God! The fault with the rich man was not that he was rich or that he had possessions. The fault was what he was treasuring. His treasure was abundance, and how easy and relaxing his life would now be.

O how easy it is to be like the rich man. The desire to have an easy life full of financial security to fall back on during those tough times. It is such the common way of thought in our culture and much of the world--save enough so that when hard times come you can rely on money.

A bit of clarification. It is not wrong to have possessions, money or savings. The point of this parable is to show that these things are not supposed to be our treasure. Do not put your hope in money. Don't make your life's ambition to have worldly treasures so that life can be easy and relaxing.

Back to verse 15, "Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness..."

How do I keep myself from making possessions and money my treasure?
One way is to guard my heart from all covetousness. It is the coveting heart that leads to a treasuring heart when what is coveted is received. Fight against ALL the coveting tendencies of the heart and so train your heart to not treasure what should not be treasured.

Lord help me fight!

Do Not Be Anxious!

O how great the power of the living word of God. Three reasons and encouragements in Luke 12:22-34 to not be anxious:

1. God knows and will supply all that we need (vv. 24, 30-31)
We may not always receive all that we think we need (stable job, health, etc.) but we will receive all that God knows we need.

2. God is in Control (vv. 24, 28, 31)

3. God cares for the birds and the grass, how much more for his children (v. 24)

4. Worrying does no good (v. 25)


Take heart, o my soul, that in the midst of the most trying and stressing circumstances, God's word is true!