Last Wednesday night several came into midweek worship and Bible classes with the overwhelming disappointment over the election. Those of us who believe partial-birth abortion is infanticide and same-sex marriage is wrong felt deserted by a blind country who would allow such an advocate of evil rule over them.
Some friends have suggested that the America we have known and loved will disappear in days to come. No doubt, the election will make advocates of evil who love to silence the truth even more bold. I admit it... I too am heartsick and a bit angry.
Take a breath.... this too shall pass.
History is a wonderful reminder that evil doesn't last forever, no matter how powerful. Good will win out in the end, even if the devil deceives the nations and enslaves them for his evil agenda. The Lord of lords and the King of kings sees and knows it all. He will destroy evil with the sword of his mouth.
This is not a time to hide in caves; it is a time to stand strong. God has equipped us with a panoply (a suit of full armor). Read about it in Ephesians 6:10-20. Having done everything in this battle with the devil, we are to stand firm. This is not a time for retreat; it is a time to go to war for our souls!
Instead of throwing our hands up in failure, let us redouble our efforts! We have the weapons to win EVERY time! God has given us faith! God has given us love! God has given us TRUTH! God has given us the hope the world needs so badly. We are not puny and poor; we are God's heirs, God's holy nation, God's royal priesthood, a people for God's own possession! In God's eyes we are holy, beloved, and chosen! For us God is preparing an eternal home.
Let us not be surprised that the world is worldly; it always has been. The whole world, after all, lies in the power of the evil one; but we are not of the world. The LORD watches over us. Take a breath, say a prayer, recall the promises, and get to work.
God gave us the Word, a powerful and unstoppable weapon. The world can't burn it up, delete it, or resist it. It stands written! Preach it! Proclaim it to a lost and dying world with love and conviction. The world may hate us for it, but they will not shut us up. The Bible has survived as the seed of the kingdom. Hide it in your heart, and it will produce life eternal for you and for those who will hear you.
Don't quit! Don't give up! Don't give out! We have not yet begun to do all that we can do to light a dark and dreary world with the eternal gospel of Jesus Christ.
Redouble your efforts, love the Lord, love people, let your light shine, and give thanks. Throw aside discouragement and be men. We not only can win souls, we can change lives and lands with the power of love and the word. Preach, love, and stay the course! The Kingdom of heaven needs you!
phil
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3 comments:
Thank you Phil for your encouraging thoughts. You are such a strong force for good. I am always uplifted after visiting your website.
I have been so mystified as to how any Christian can drink the Kool Aid and support Barack Obama.
Regardless, in Christ alone will I put my hope.
Gregg
Phil,
Such a wonderful article of "reason." It's easy to overreact to one news story or event, but your words help us see the big picture.
...why does the book of Esther keep ringing in my ears this week?
Adam Faughn
Well said.
I would only add that even in an election where my side didn't win (and what else is new; I've voted in five Presidential elections and only backed the winner once), there are signs of hope even for social conservatives. Consider:
Even as 98% of California African-Americans voted for Barack Obama, 70% of them also voted to ban same-sex marriage. (A similar ban passed in Florida, with similar numbers.) Quoth one Obama supporter, "I didn't face down a fire hose in Montgomery so you could sleep with another man."
Despite comparable out-of-wedlock pregnancy rates, abortions in African-American communities occur four times less often than in white households with similar economic resources. Quoth another Obama supporter, "We may need help feeding our babies, but we're not going to kill them."
The first appointment Obama had the morning after the election was a parent-teacher conference. Obama likewise told an audience on BET (I think, maybe MTV) to "pull your pants up."
The world is what it is -- worldly. It will pursue it's own interests and desires. It also remains to be seen how much of what we heard in the last few months will translate into public policy and lasting change, for good or ill.
But based on what I saw last Tuesday, I'm beginning to believe that American society might not be such a lost cause after all.
We shall see.
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