As Pastor, I guess it is expected of me to give solace, insight or at least an opinion on the election of November 6th. I have been asked as everyone has ‘what do you think of the vote’. In a nut shell, I am less than pleased. Wow, deep and profound right? The truth is I haven’t allowed myself the time until this moment to think very critically of the outcome. But as Pastor and one who has been given charge of spiritual leadership of others, I must. November 6th set the agenda and the wheels in motion of the mechanics of our country and possibly the world for quite sometime to come, not just the next 4 years. I am not speaking of a failed economics plan, weak national security policy or proper use of natural resources. These matters are debated by Christians on both sides of the issues and and can remain true to biblical reason. My greatest concern is moral in nature. This should cause concern and disappointment in every Christian. The election has proven that ‘we the people’ have lost our moral compass. It is no longer something that was decried by the ‘other party’ or suspected by ministers of God’s Word who saw evil behind every thing political. No, ‘we the people’ have lifted high and waved proudly the platform of a party which clearly proclaimed it’s opposition to righteousness. The party of our nation’s choosing has a clear ungodly agenda. This is not my conjecture but is based upon their platform and recent history, of legalization of narcotics, the celebration of same sex marriages, the near ‘on demand’ abortion of the youngest of our citizens, the redefining of God’s institution of marriage and its simple intolerance to Christian beliefs. They even argued openly before including their Creator’s name in their statement of beliefs, a move which was blasphemous by giving credence to anti-biblical stances by attaching a most holy God’s name to them. The face of this nation has certainly changed, as our President has promised. Conservative value holding Americans are the minority folks, face it. God has given us what ‘we the people’ have clamored for, freedom of sexuality, freedom of choice, freedom of identity. WE want freedom from all restrictions including the moral restraints of a righteous God. We clearly have it. But HOPE is not lost! It may sound cliché in our Christian circles and blogs right now but hope does not rest on the person sitting in the white house or sitting on either side of ‘the aisle’. Hope is not dependent upon man’s efforts or man’s rule. My hope, your hope is in the fact that God ‘elects’ rulers. He raises up and brings down kings. He moves their hearts as the rivers of waters. He is not only concerned about the affairs of men but governs both righteousness and justice from His throne toward them. A throne which sits above all. God placed our President and our other rulers in power through the general election of this nation. Make no mistake about that. I am dismayed in one sense but encouraged in another. God works in the midst and in spite of our sin. John 1:11 says that God the creator stepped into the realm of and ‘tented with’ His creation and His creation rejected Him even to the point of killing Him. This rejection, this demanding of their own rights and renunciation of His righteousness by His own people, did not frustrate His plan for mankind. Verse 12 goes on to say that there were some who did not reject but received Him and those He saved! God’s plan is never thwarted or frustrated by man. There is no ‘oops’ or plan B with God. He is in control and is working out all things for His glory and for the good of those who love Him. Our hope is very much alive and will become more evident the more our culture raises high the banner of darkness. As Christians we are called to live as aliens in an occupied foreign land. Not with violence or conflict but by living as windows so that others, American neighbors and friends, see through us to Christ. Live as examples of the Gospel, point people to Christ not the ballot box as their only hope. Reach out to neighbors in the coming months with the gospel of Christ. Use this time as our next Great Awakening of truth in America. Look upon it as a great opportunity and thank God He has counted you worthy for such a time as this. It’s exciting times, God is at work and we are privileged to be God’s instruments of truth. We’ve changed alright and not for the better but God works through his people in times such as these. Take heart, God has great plans for us! SOLI DEO GLORIA!!!!