I remember seeing a Peanuts cartoon where some unnamed stranger was walking around on a sidewalk with a sign that read, “Guilty!”  Charlie Brown looked at the sign and wondered to himself, “How did he know?”  Some people, like Charlie Brown, continually struggle with a guilty conscience, even if it isn’t justified.

King David had every reason to feel guilty.  It is because he was guilty.  He had committed that awful series of sins – adultery and murder – and was dealing with great guilt.  It was magnified when God sent His prophet Nathan to confront and correct David.  For so long David didn’t honestly face the reality of his sins.  In his autobiographical account of those dark days David recorded:

“When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long.  For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was sapped as in the heat of summer” (Psalm 32:3-4).

It’s clear that David was smothered by guilt.  There are at least four different ways we deal with our guilt:

REFUSE IT

Sometimes we simply refuse delivery of guilt.  Even with a raging conscience we can find ways to drown out the voice of conviction.  That’s a dangerous place to be … to stop listening to the conviction of the Holy Spirit when we have sinned.

EXCUSE IT

Sometimes people blame others for their sin and failures.  They refuse to take personal responsibility for it.  It’s always someone else’s fault.  It’s like Eve eating the forbidden fruit and saying, “The snake made me do it.”  We are often masters at finding ways to justify our sinful behavior rather than honestly admitting we have sinned.

ABUSE IT

Sometimes when we feel conviction and the guilt of our sin we go places with it that God never intended for us to go.  We can condemn ourselves for everything that goes wrong in our lives, even things we had no way of changing … a bad investment … a career change that didn’t turn out like we hoped … a painful divorce … a rebellious child.  And we whip ourselves over and over.  But that’s not the purpose of God’s conviction of sin.  We are not to turn guilt in on ourselves, but to turn it up toward God.

USE IT

That is, we are to use the guilt and the conviction the way God intended for it to be used … to drive us to Himself and to His grace and mercy.  And that’s what David does:

“Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, ‘I will confess my transgressions to the Lord’— and you forgave the guilt of my sin” (Psalm 32:5).

David experienced the incredible freedom of forgiveness and guilt when he confessed his sin before God.  Confession doesn’t inform God of something He doesn’t already know.  It is our way of acknowledging that we agree with God when He convicts us of sin.  It is an opportunity for us to say, “The Lord is always right in His judgments.  May His name be praised.”

A vivid memory from my childhood comes from an experience where I learned one of my first lessons in faith.  My buddies and I were playing baseball in the front yard of my house when someone hit the ball up on the flat roof of our garage.  Because the roof was flat the ball didn’t roll back to the ground, so someone had to go up after it.  Since it was my house it became my duty to go up on the roof.  We had no ladder so one of my taller friends boosted me up on his shoulders and I scrambled up the nine or ten feet on to the garage roof, retrieved the ball, went back to the edge expecting to be helped down by my “friends.”  There was no one in sight.  They thought it would be funny to leave me on the roof with no way to get down.  I began to yell for help, but to no avail.  Soon my dad heard all the noise and came outside to see what was up.  When he saw my predicament he chuckled, then just held up his arms and said, “Jump.”  Immediately I was confronted with a dilemma.  Do I trust that my dad and jump into his arms, or do I stay on the roof for the rest of my life?  It really was not a big decision.  I obeyed … and jumped!  Why?  Because I had absolute confidence in my dad.  I knew that he loved me and wanted to catch me when I jumped into his arms.  Furthermore I knew that he was strong and that he could catch me when I jumped into his arms.

That was a traumatic experience for a little guy, and I guess that’s why I’ve never forgotten it.  But it has served as a repeated reminder to me of what it means to trust and obey.

Has it occurred to you that every command in the Bible is also an invitation to trust God?

After God powerfully delivered the Israelites through the Red Sea they embarked upon four decades of travelling in the Sinai wilderness.  Biblical scholars estimate that the community of Israel numbered in the millions, counting men, women and children.  Being in the wilderness, where would that many people find enough food to eat?  How did they survive those forty years?  By the abundant, miraculous provision of God.  But the people were required to trust and obey.

First came the provision of God: “Then the Lord said to Moses, ‘I will rain down bread from heaven for you…’” (Exodus 16:4a).  God’s plan was to drop what later is called “manna” from the heavens.  When the thin flakes first appeared on the ground the Israelites had never seen anything like it.  They asked, “What is it?” (v.15), which in the Hebrew language sounds like “manna.”

Then came the instructions from God.  “The people are to go out each day and gather enough for that day. In this way I will test them and see whether they will follow my instructions” (Exodus 16:4b).  God was teaching them to trust Him to provide for their needs each day, so they were to only pick up enough for that day.  In obeying God’s instruction on this they would demonstrate that they trusted God that He would provide for them in the same way the next day.  They did not need to hoard it.  Those who doubted God soon found that He meant what He said.  If someone picked up more than they needed for a regular day, when they tried to eat it the next day they found that it had rotted.

God did, however, make an exception for the Sabbath, a day on which they were not to do any kind of work.  Again they were to trust and obey.  If they trusted God enough to obey Him by not working on the Sabbath, He would provide.  On the day before the Sabbath the Lord provided enough for two days so they would not have to go out and gather food.

Again the reason God did this was to build the faith of His people, something far more important to Him than anything else in their lives.  Would they trust the Lord enough to obey His very specific instructions?

When we obey a command of God we are demonstrating trust in at least three ways.

First, when we obey we trust that God’s ways are always right.  For instance, God commands that we should avoid sexual immorality (I Thessalonians 4:3).  When we obey that command we are trusting that God is right in demanding that of us.  The world says otherwise.  The world says that it is perfectly acceptable to do the opposite … to engage in sexual immorality.  Which view do I believe is right?  When I obey the command of the Lord I am trusting that His Word is true and His ways are right.

Second, when we obey we trust that God loves us.  Again, using the example of sexual immorality, it would be easy for us to think that God simply wants to make life miserable for us when he tells us not to go out and enjoy sex outside of marriage.  But when we obey His command we are saying to Him that we trust that He has our best interest in mind when He prohibited that behavior.

Third, when we obey we trust that God will reward us for obedience.  That reward may not come immediately.  But sooner or later we will reap the benefits of doing things God’s way.  At the very least we know that one day all that is right will be rewarded:  “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad” (2 Corinthians 5:10).

When the Israelites trusted God to provide, and followed His instructions they were blessed to awaken every day to find the manna awaiting them.  For forty years God taught them to obey, living day by day by faith.  And when you and I trust God enough to obey Him completely, we will awaken each day with the assurance of His abundant provision for every need in Christ.

“All the brothers here send you greetings. Greet one another with a holy kiss” (1 Corinthians 16:20).

The gatherings of the church are to be times filled with great joy and love.  After all, we are family, having been bought by the precious blood of Jesus Christ and all indwelt by the Spirit of Jesus.

In ancient times the “holy kiss” was a common way for believers to greet one another as they gathered, probably men to men and women to women.  It was the old-time equivalent of a hearty handshake or a friendly hug.  It was a symbolic expression of love and unity within the Body of Christ.

As we come together as the people of God in our churches we should greet others as though they are beloved family at a family reunion.  We must also keep in mind that in healthy churches there will usually be guests attending on any given weekend.

Thom Ranier, President of Lifeway Christian Resources, recently penned what he called “The Ten Commandments for Guest-Friendly Churches.”  He reminds us that guests are often uncomfortable and somewhat nervous as they attend a church for the first time.  Here are Ranier’s “Ten Commandments” for church members as they welcome guests:

1. 1. Thou shalt pray for people in the services whom you don’t recognize. They are likely guests who feel uncomfortable and uncertain.
2. 2. Thou shalt smile. Guests feel welcome when they see smiling people. (You can resume your somber expressions when you get home.)
3. 3. Thou shalt not sit on the ends of the rows. Move to the middle so guests don’t have to walk over you. You’ll survive in your new precarious position.
4. 4. Thou shalt not fill up the back rows first. Move to the front so guests don’t have to walk in front of everyone if they get there late.
5. 5. Thou shalt have ushers to help seat the guests. Ushers should have clearly marked badges or shirts so that the guests know who can help them.
6. 6. Thou shalt offer assistance to guests. If someone looks like they don’t know where to go, then they probably don’t know where to go. Get out of your comfort zone and ask them if you can help.
7. 7. Thou shalt not gather too long in your holy huddles. Sure, it’s OK to talk to fellow members; but don’t stay there so long that you are not speaking to guests.
8. 8. Thou shalt offer your seats to guests. That family of four can’t fit in the three vacant seats next to you. Give it a try. You might actually feel good about your efforts.
9. 9. Thou shalt not save seats. I know you want to have room for all of your friends and family, but do you know how a guest feels when he or she sees the vacant seats next to you occupied by three hymnals, one Bible, two coats, and an umbrella? You might as well put a “Do Not Trespass” sign on the seats.
10. 10.Thou shalt greet someone you don’t know. Yes, it’s risky. They may actually be members you don’t know. And you may get caught in a 45-second conversation. You’ll be OK; I promise.

Remember how it was the last time you attended a church for the first time.  Put yourself in the shoes of the first time guests this weekend.  I suggest that you not greet them with a holy kiss; you might be greeted in return with a holy punch.  But a warm handshake and a kind word will do wonders to put others at ease as they gather with the people of God this coming weekend.

Those of us who studied Texas history as school children may remember reading about the fateful events of Palm Sunday, March 27, 1836.  The Alamo had just fallen.  A few weeks later Colonel James Fannin’s troops had been captured and imprisoned at the presidio La Bahia, near Goliad, Texas.  The Mexican officer in charge awakened the Texan prisoners on that Palm Sunday morning telling them that they were to be marched under guard to another location.  What actually happened, however, is that they were marched a short distance out of La Bahia, and the Mexican soldiers opened fire on the Texas soldiers, mercilessly killing nearly 350 prisoners.  It was called the Goliad Massacre.  About a month later General Sam Houston would lead his troops against Santa Anna at the Battle of San Jacinto where Texas independence was won.  The battle cry for that victorious battle was “Remember the Alamo! Remember Goliad!”

Easter Week is about remembering.  Due to differences in the Jewish calendar, the actual weekend of Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection moves around on our modern calendars.  However, without fail every Spring the week comes, and along with it comes the opportunity for believers to remember the events that are so central to our salvation through Jesus Christ.

The victory that sets us free to enjoy eternal life was won at the Cross of Calvary and at the Empty Tomb.  But those events were not just crucial for getting us into heaven when we die.  Those two pivotal events provide the power we need for living every day as Christ-followers.  It is through the Cross of Jesus that both the penalty and the power of sin are broken on a daily basis.  It is dependence upon that power throughout each day that I am able to deny sin and self.

It is through the Resurrection of Christ that we become new persons, changed from the inside out to live the new life that is eternal life.  It is through that power that we live in anticipation and hope that one day our weak, sinful bodies will be forever transformed into the likeness of the glorious resurrection body of Jesus.

So this week, consciously rejoice in all that God accomplished for us in Christ.  Remember the Cross!  Remember the Empty Tomb!

“The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds” (2 Corinthians 10:4).

On the corner at a busy intersection near our church there was located a sexually-oriented business and liquor store.  Persons driving to our church from one direction were forced to pass by this disgraceful display.  At first I remember being disgusted and wishing that it would just go away.  Then it occurred to me that perhaps I should pray that it would be removed.  What a novel thought!  Believe it or not, the first instinct of a pastor is not always to pray … but I’m learning.  I soon learned that my wife had come to the same conclusion; we should specifically pray that this unwholesome spectacle would be closed.

Several weeks ago we noticed that the business had indeed been closed.  But as far as we knew, it could open again at any time.  Even the empty building was a lurid reminder of evil business that took place there.

One morning last week as I drove to the church I saw something that utterly amazed me … the building in which the business had been located was being demolished!  There looming over the rubble was a huge demolition tractor pounding the last bricks and beams to the ground.  I gave thanks to the Lord for removing the tempting business at such a busy intersection.  I rejoiced again in the power of God unleashed through prayer.

So often when we face difficult challenges like this we immediately resort to human answers.  We either fret and fuss about it, or devise schemes by which we can tackle it in our own strength.  What if we saw things through a different lens?  What if we realized that a spiritual enemy lurks behind many of the challenges we face?

Now I’m not saying that the devil is the cause of every traffic jam or flat tire.  I am saying that many of our real battles in life are “not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms” (Ephesians 6:12).  These forces are at the heart of the evil that we face in this world.  So our praying utilizes the weapons, not of this world, but of heaven.  These weapons are divinely powerful for the pulling down of strongholds.

Through prayer we are able to accomplish things that cannot be attributed to human ability.  Through prayer we have power to overcome the evil one whose desire it is to destroy the lives of those we love.

In some of these battles we will see the victory in time.  It may take weeks, months, even years, but we’ll see the evil against which we have prayed destroyed.  However, there are some vestiges of evil that will not be vanquished in our day.  But we can pray in victory knowing that one day the power of God will ultimately demolish every last residue of Satan’s power to where all that remains is gloriously of God.

“The Bible is full of contradictions.”

“The Bible is just a collection of myths written by people long ago.”

“The Bible can’t claim to be a factual source of historical people and events.”

Have you ever heard someone make statements like these?  Perhaps in moments of doubt you have entertained the same questions yourself.  Through the years I have talked with people who challenge the authenticity and authority of the Bible.  Some just want to argue; others are genuinely seeking to know the truth about the claims of the Bible.

As I think about the attacks that have been hurled at the Bible through the ages I stand today with great confidence in the reliability of the Bible as the source of truth from God.  Here are just a few of the reasons I come to this conclusion:

• From a purely literary perspective the Bible stands in a class by itself in terms of beauty, wisdom, complexity and design.  There are sixty-six books written by forty different authors over a span of 1500 years, yet God’s Word displays a supernatural unity from start to finish.
• The New Testament Gospels are historical accounts by people who either were personally present or who consulted with eye witness of the life and ministry of Jesus.
• The mountains of archeological evidence continue to verify the historical accuracy of details contained in the Bible.
• Hundreds of years before the coming of Christ very specific prophecies were given about virtually every aspect of His life and ministry.  Against impossible odds those prophecies were fulfilled with amazing accuracy.
• If the Gospel accounts of Jesus’ life, death and resurrection were not true, the people of the day would have known it and would have laughed the story off as fiction.  But that wasn’t the case.  No one could step forward to refute the claims of the Gospels.  Instead the church exploded with growth because of the truth of the facts.
• There is an abundance of extra-biblical corroboration for the key and basic facts contained in the Gospel.  Ancient secular historians provide independent historical confirmation of biblical material.

These certainties give us great confidence in the Bible.  As a believer, however, I am most encouraged by the very claims that the Bible makes about itself … claims to its authenticity and accuracy.  Consider just a few:

“As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the Lord is flawless. He is a shield for all who take refuge in him” (Psalm 18:30).

“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:16).

“For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12).

“Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation. For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit” (2 Peter 1:20-21).

A perfect God could never give us an imperfect revelation of Himself.  The One True God would never reveal Himself in a way that was in any way false.  Almighty God, supernatural in all He is and does, has given to us a supernatural book called the Bible.  Stand confidently in your convictions about your reliable Bible.

This week marked the 40^th anniversary of Roe v Wade, the controversial court decision to legalize abortion.  Since 1973 approximately 55 million babies have been killed at the hands of abortionists.  To put that staggering number in more graphic terms, that’s the combined population of Oregon, Idaho, Utah,  Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico, North and South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, Arkansas, Louisiana and Mississippi.  In the wake of those aborted babies are the countless lives of mothers and fathers whose choice to snuff out the life of an unexpected child has left them wracked with overwhelming guilt.

With the commemoration of the anniversary of Roe v Wade, another statistic emerged that saddened my soul.  Surveys reveal that 70% of Americans now believe that Roe v Wade should not be overturned.  In other words over two-thirds of Americans do not believe that abortion on demand is a moral atrocity, and that the laws that legalize it should be left in place.  Not so long ago at least 50% of Americans were opposed to abortion, clearly not enough to mandate a constitutional change, but certainly enough to keep the pressure on.  Now that opposition appears to be waning.

How can this be?  Our nation is rapidly becoming post-Christian.  With each passing generation America has become progressively unhitched from her biblical moorings.  As this is the case we may expect basic morality to decline in our land where everyone does what is right in their own eyes rather than what is right in the eyes of God.  No surprises there.

What surprises and concerns me is the vanishing moral resolve of the American church.  I’m certain that among the 70% of Americans who agree with abortion there are nominal church members who have given up the fight.  Many have spiritually and morally assimilated into a non-Christian culture to where their values reflect more of the world than the Word of Christ.

For the 30% of us who remain opposed to abortion, we must not grow weary in the struggle.  We face a moral emergency that will require urgency and tenacity on our part.  We must do it for the glory of God, for precious unborn girls and boys, for guilt-ridden parents, and for all that is holy and righteous.

What must we do?

• Pray. The powers of darkness cannot stand against a praying church.
• Make your case. In private and public conversations believers must continue to be vocal about the sanctity of human life.
• Support pregnancy centers. These life stations are on the front-line of the battle for the lives of the unborn.  Pray for them. Volunteer with them.  Support them financially.
• Back pro-life elected officials. At the city, county, state and national levels pro-life public servants deserve our encouragement and our votes.
• Love. A strident tone will detract from the love of Jesus Christ who alone can change the human heart.  Let the words of our mouths and the meditations of our hearts be acceptable to God.

America faces a moral emergency.  We must remain vigilant in the battle for the lives of more than a million little boys and girls each year who will be snuffed out through abortion.

“But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law” (Galatians 4:4).

“See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil” (Ephesians 5:15-16 NKJV).

No doubt you have attended a Christmas party this month in which everyone was encouraged to bring a “white elephant” gift.  It’s sure to bring loads of laughter to the gathering as people try to outdo each other with the outrageously useless, prankish gifts.  Tucked away in closets and cabinets in our home there are things that came to us years ago through the deviously thoughtful efforts of friends wanting to choose “just the right gift” for us.

Do you know where the “white elephant” gift idea came from?

Gordon MacDonald, one of my favorite authors, gives the following insightful background:  “In ancient days when the king of Siam had an enemy he wanted to torment and destroy, he would send that enemy a unique gift, a white elephant, a live, albino elephant. These animals were considered sacred in the culture of that day. So the recipient of that elephant had no choice but to intentionally care for the gift. This elephant would take an inordinate amount of the enemy’s time, resources, energy, emotions, and finances. Over time the enemy would destroy himself because of the extremely burdensome process of caring for the gift.”

One of the greatest gifts God gives us is time.  It is the currency with which we live our lives.  God gives us seconds, minutes, hours, days, weeks, months and years to be used by us to fulfill His purpose for our lives and for His Kingdom.  It is also in the span of these chunks of time that we enjoy life with our loved ones, friends and fellow believers.

As we audit our lives from time to time we realize that we have accumulated not a few “white elephants” in our schedule and routine.  They are things that we have taken on (perhaps even with good intentions) that distract us from the most important things we should be about in life.  Perhaps it is a time-consuming hobby or a time-wasting habit.  If we are honest we realize that our lives would be just as meaningful without them … and far more productive in terms of stewardship.

God is the master of time.  History is His Story.  He uses every nanosecond of time for His good and glorious purposes.  At just the right time He sent us His Son and our Savior.  We celebrate that at Christmas.  And at just the right time He will close the curtain on history.  Our days are in His hands.

So as we redeem the time, as Paul says in Ephesians 5:16, we are making the most of every minute that ticks by in our day.  But we are also making the most of opportunities that come packaged in those minutes.  Opportunities … to spend a quiet hour with your child … to speak an encouraging word to your mate … to visit a hurting friend in the hospital or nursing home … to sit expectantly before God with your Bible in your lap.

Your time is a gracious gift from God.  Time is invested … and it is wasted.  What are you doing with your time?

The Christmas holiday season takes on a life of its own each year.  The materialistic and commercialistic pressures are so great that we find ourselves looking forward to December being over.  As believers we must not succumb to the powerful tide of holiday-related stress.  Let’s seize the opportunity to proclaim the good news that Jesus has come to save us from our sins.  Here are a few ways you can do that:

Keep your priorities straight. Christmas can cause us to spend money and time on things that are not worthy priorities.  Sit down early in the season and remind yourself of your monetary, family and life goals.  Stick with them.

Keep your focus fixed. Don’t let the hectic season disrupt your time alone with God in His Word.  Savor the Savior in Scripture. Be faithful in the gatherings of the church; it will help you keep your focus.  Our family Christmas celebration isn’t complete without the Christmas Eve Candlelight Service at our church.  It’s the highlight of a month of special focus on Jesus.

Keep your witness strong. The Christmas season is a prime opportunity to talk about the Christ of Christmas.  Not surprisingly, many people fall prey to depression and discouragement during this time of the year that is filled with more festivities and parties than any other time of the year.  People need the hope that is found in Christ.  Use every available occasion to speak about your Lord.  You can also invite the people in your circle of relationships to come with you to Sunday worship at your church, or to a special Christmas event at church.

Keep your joy full. There’s plenty for us to celebrate this Christmas.  Above all we must “rejoice in the Lord always.”  As we ponder the magnificent gift of God’s Son and our Savior, Jesus Christ, we make the choice to rejoice.  Remember the announcement of the angel, “I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.  Today … a Savior has been born to you.”

Blessings!

Michael D. Dean

Michael D. Dean

We are a day away from one of the most hotly contested presidential elections in recent history.  The stakes are high in just about every way imaginable.  Rarely has our nation been more polarized over moral, social and economic issues as we have been during this campaign.

Because of the tightness of the race, as Americans we may not know on Wednesday morning who has been elected on November 6.  But at the point where the results of the election are known, no matter what the outcome, for the church certain things will remain unchanged.

First, God remains sovereign over the affairs of our nation. “There is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God” (Romans 13:1).  God either blesses a nation by giving it good leaders, or judges a nation by giving it poor leaders.  He is still sovereign over all.

Second, Jesus Christ still occupies the place of supremacy. At the resurrection Christ was raised from the dead and seated at God’s right hand “far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come” (Ephesians 1:21).

Third, our nation is still desperately in need of spiritual awakening. Laws and lawmakers can never change the heart of our nation.  The spiritual awakening that is long overdue in the U.S. will come only as God’s people humble themselves, pray, seek God’s face and turn from their sinful ways (2 Chronicles 7:14).

Fourth, all civic leaders still must be prayed for. “I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone— for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness” (1 Timothy 2:1-2).

Fifth, the Gospel remains the most important information to be proclaimed. As Christ-followers enter the fray of a political contest it is easy for us to forget what is most important.  “For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures” (1 Corinthians 15:3-4).

Sixth, our personal witness is still our greatest campaign. As much as we may have advocated for or against a candidate or a cause, we must continue to be vigilant in “gossiping the gospel” of Jesus Christ in the circles where God has placed us.  Jesus said that Spirit-filled believers “will be My witnesses” (Acts 1:8).

Seventh, the object of our worship is unchanged. As the people of God we bow the knee only to the Lord Jesus Christ.  No matter what party controls the various branches of nation’s government our citizenship is in heaven and we worship the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

Eighth, our cultural mandate is still binding. Jesus said to His disciples, “You are the salt of the earth … You are the light of the world” (Matthew 5:13-14).  Our confidence is not ultimately in the difference that elected officials can make in changing society.  Christ-followers are the true agents of change in any community in which they are located.

Ninth, the church remains committed to greatness through service, not through power. Even if our preferred candidates are elected to public office, that does not afford us greatness due to access to power.  Our greatness is gauged by the measure of our Lord who came not to be served, but to serve and to give his life a ransom for many (Matthew 20:28).

Tenth, no matter who is elected our world will not ultimately change until Christ returns. While we await the election returns, we must never stop anticipating the return of our Savior who alone will make all things new (Revelation 21:5).  As citizens we have rightly been concerned about electing a president.  As Christ-followers may we be ever more diligent about enthroning our great King Jesus in our lives and in our churches.