This is the day that the Lord has made—so don’t mess it up!
Really, we can mess it up or enjoy it. We can dwell in the presence of the Lord today if we choose. All we have to do is comply with the simple, easy, exhortation of Psalm 100:
Serve the LORD with gladness; come before Him with joyful singing.
Know that the LORD Himself is God; it is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; we are His people and the sheep of His pasture.
Enter His gates with thanksgiving, and His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him; bless His name.
For the LORD is good; His lovingkindness is everlasting, and His faithfulness to all generations.
All we have to do to enter the presence of the Lord is be thankful. If we are truly thankful, then we have more to be thankful for than we could ever tell Him, and we will enter His gates. Then we can go even deeper into His presence with praise. Start every day by thinking of all of the things you have to be thankful for, and then thank Him.
Now to the subject that is still on just about everyone’s mind—the election. The Lord is still on His throne. He is not wringing His hands about what has happened or will happen. The kingdom did not lose a single vote or a single ounce of authority. The one thing that we can count on is that His kingdom is going to come, and His will is going to be done, on earth just as it is in heaven. In fact, His kingdom is closer today than it was yesterday!
There is also a basic principle that God’s victories often look like defeat to the natural mind. The greatest example of this is the cross, the greatest victory of all, but it certainly did not look like one for awhile. The Lord won big in the recent elections. In fact, He has won big in every election. He just cannot lose. He works all things out for good to those who love Him and are called according to His purposes (see Romans 8:28), even elections.
You may have picked up from my recent writings that I did expect Obama to win. It would have been hard for McCain or any Republican to win this year, but I think McCain would have if it had not been for the September market crash. After that it would have taken a miracle for McCain to win. Though I confess to hoping and praying for such a miracle, it did not happen. So, we need to understand what this means and how we can expect it to affect our future.
Let’s look at the good that can come from an Obama Presidency. We should all feel very good about having an African-American elected to the highest office in the land. This is a huge victory for righteousness and doing what is right in the sight of the Lord. That is a clear sign that America has come a very long way in overcoming its racial prejudice, which is one of the most important accomplishments we can have as a nation. Though the abortion issue is still critical, racism also empowers the spirit of death, which I explain in the booklet I wrote titled, Overcoming Racism. I do not have the space to expound on it here, but this is a great victory, and it can lead to an even bigger victory for life later. For now, just consider this accomplishment: There has never been a major country that has ever been led by someone from a minority, especially a minority that composes only 12 percent of its population. This is something we should all rejoice in.
As Americans and also as Christians who need to obey the biblical commands, we should be praying for our leaders. This new leader will be taking over the helm in some of the most difficult conditions in the last century. For the sake of the country, we need to pray for his success. I’m praying for the Lord to send him wise men like Daniel who can give him godly counsel for the crucial decisions he will have to make. I am asking the Lord to surround him with words of life each day. Life will eventually win over death, and it can win his heart too. Don’t give up—pray.
The lessons of this election illuminate some of the most important issues we need to understand about the times. Therefore, we will continue with this subject for a few weeks. It is not just about the election; the events in the markets and the world are presenting some of the greatest opportunities for the advancement of the gospel we have had. We must seize it.
The next four years will be some of the most difficult in the history of our nation. There is much that is about to change, and that change can be good or bad. The opportunity for the greatest change is about much more than getting laws passed. The battle is for the heart and mind of the nation— the opportunity for victory is great and will become even greater over the next few years. This is why we’re here, and we must seize the day.
