Now What?!!

Well it’s the day after the general election in USA and about 50% of our country is ecstatic and the other half is pretty down in the dumps.

So what really happened? About 2 billion dollars were spent and at the end of the election the over all make up of the government remained the same.

For my conservative friends –

Is this the end of America as we know it?

Has the Tribulation begun?

Did God go out for a coffee break and come back to a mess that you and I made? Is He in heaven right now wringing His hands trying to figure out how to fix the problem we caused?

For my liberal friends –

Has paradise come to earth?

Is everything being prepared for the establishment of God’s Kingdom here on earth?

Is God smiling at the outcome of last night’s election and saying all is now right in the world?

The answer to all of these questions and countless others is … NO!

So what is happening?

Well simply put God’s plan for this world continues just as He has ordained

Consider the following:

1. God is sovereign over all nations, peoples and movements

¹¹  Jesus answered, "You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above. Therefore the one who handed me over to you is guilty of a greater sin."    
John 19:11 (NIV)

2. God controls every government –

¹ The king's heart is in the hand of the LORD;   he directs it like a watercourse wherever he pleases.    
Proverbs 21:1 (NIV)

3. Everything is proceeding according to God’s plans –

⁴⁴  "In the time of those kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed, nor will it be left to another people. It will crush all those kingdoms and bring them to an end, but it will itself endure forever.
Daniel 2:44 (NIV)

4. Government is designed by God for our benefit

¹  Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God.
Romans 13:1 (NIV)

5. Regardless of the government that God give us we are commanded to be obey it’s laws

²  Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves.
³  For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and he will commend you.
⁴  For he is God's servant to do you good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword for nothing. He is God's servant, an agent of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer.

⁵  Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also because of conscience.    

Romans 13:2-5 (NIV)

6. God expects us to pay our taxes

⁶  This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God's servants, who give their full time to governing.
Romans 13:1-6 (NIV)

What should we being as the result of this or any election?

Pray!

Pray for our leaders. Pray for our country. Pray for the continued advancement of the Kingdom.

Don’t forget that we are Kingdom citizens first and citizens our country second.

Finally, Pray that God’s will - would be done here on earth as it is in Heaven

Amen

Pastor Val