I am quite late for writing about this, but time here goes so quickly, yet I still wanted to address it: the election. But before I do that.... I never told you how we ended the trip to D.C.!!
Our final day in D.C. began with small group time. My small group (Team South Africa) decided to go to the Holocaust Museum, which is super intense. I had been there before but they had changed quite a bit of things since I last visited.
Afterwards we went to get coffee at some coffee shop in the area... One of our team members actually grew up in D.C. so he was familiar with all the hot spots of the area. I also have become a little bit of a coffee lover -- that's one thing I never thought I would be. But I am definitely NOT a coffee snob... Some things I just don't know about.
Aaand finally we ended the night at David's Tent's last plugged set before their final night watch with worship led by the AMAZING YooSung Lee (who has played with United Pursuit and Imogen Heap). Yeah, he led probably the best closing set...at least in my experience there.
** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** **
Now, as I assume we all know, President Obama will continue being President for the next 4 years (as it stands). I find that not a whole lot of people are very happy about this... Quite honestly, had I been in California to vote, I would have voted for Romney, only because (first) his stance on Israel and (second) traditional marriage. He has a weak stand on LIFE and that nearly kept me from wanting to vote for him at all. Oh, well...
Something that really is bothering is all of the dishonoring speech towards Obama. All of the hateful slander towards the fact that he has been given the next 4 years in office, but so much of the spite is towards him personally and not his politics.
Have we forgotten that Jesus is Lord? Have we forgotten that Jesus is still King of ALL Kings (President of ALL Presidents; Teacher of ALL Teachers; Priest of ALL Priests; etc.)? Have we forgotten that He is SOVEREIGN and MIGHTY and in control of ALL things? Or maybe He is just in control of everything except the elections... Yes, that must be it... Right?
God could have very easily made Romney president. But He didn't. Why? Because God is not one to share HIS glory with anyone...even a president.
God can STILL achieve all the plans He has whether Romney or Obama is in office. Quite frankly, God can do these things without EITHER men. Have we forgotten He used a 14 year old boy to slay a giant? Have we forgotten how He used a professional murderer to take the Gospel to the Gentile nations? Yeah. He can do anything. So why are we so ignorant to think that He can't change Obama? He CAN and He WILL! How do I know this? Because I know He WANTS to. HIS heart is for EVERY person to know Him and love Him and live for Him. Even Obama.
But does that mean that because our ideal candidate wasn't chosen that we should speak badly about the President? NO! It means we should be praying for him! You are praying for him? Good. That means you should be feeling God's heart for him. After all, when you truly spend time praying for someone, your heart changes into having genuine love for them. The kind of love that shows in your actions and seeps through your words.
You see, if we love only those who agree with us, what good does that do? Everyone else in the world only loves those who agree with them --- look at the Planned Parenthood/Kommen scandal or how the LGBT groups treated Chick-Fil-A's stance on Biblical marriage. How do your actions (and thoughts; and emotions; and what is TRULY in your heart) towards Obama make you any more like Jesus than the people who don't know Him, and how much more are you going to be held accountable for? I urge you to think about these things...
Interesting... Maybe we should start holding ourselves to a higher standard of living, as lovers of Jesus, and maybe just maybe that might just change something. (**Not "maybe". It WILL.**)
So, there ya go! Power of the tongue. Good stuff. I like putting the words that leave my mouth into perspective...
That's what I got for all of ya'll... That was weird. I never say "ya'll"...Oooh... Awkward.
Okay, well it is late and I have an early morning... This weekend is Convergence and I cannot wait to tell you how it goes next week!
I love you all!!
Cheryl
Our final day in D.C. began with small group time. My small group (Team South Africa) decided to go to the Holocaust Museum, which is super intense. I had been there before but they had changed quite a bit of things since I last visited.
Afterwards we went to get coffee at some coffee shop in the area... One of our team members actually grew up in D.C. so he was familiar with all the hot spots of the area. I also have become a little bit of a coffee lover -- that's one thing I never thought I would be. But I am definitely NOT a coffee snob... Some things I just don't know about.
Aaand finally we ended the night at David's Tent's last plugged set before their final night watch with worship led by the AMAZING YooSung Lee (who has played with United Pursuit and Imogen Heap). Yeah, he led probably the best closing set...at least in my experience there.
Farewell, Washington, D.C.!!!
** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** **
Now, as I assume we all know, President Obama will continue being President for the next 4 years (as it stands). I find that not a whole lot of people are very happy about this... Quite honestly, had I been in California to vote, I would have voted for Romney, only because (first) his stance on Israel and (second) traditional marriage. He has a weak stand on LIFE and that nearly kept me from wanting to vote for him at all. Oh, well...
Something that really is bothering is all of the dishonoring speech towards Obama. All of the hateful slander towards the fact that he has been given the next 4 years in office, but so much of the spite is towards him personally and not his politics.
Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.... Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice.
Ephesians 4:29,31
Have we forgotten that Jesus is Lord? Have we forgotten that Jesus is still King of ALL Kings (President of ALL Presidents; Teacher of ALL Teachers; Priest of ALL Priests; etc.)? Have we forgotten that He is SOVEREIGN and MIGHTY and in control of ALL things? Or maybe He is just in control of everything except the elections... Yes, that must be it... Right?
WRONG!
For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.
Isaiah 55:8-9
God could have very easily made Romney president. But He didn't. Why? Because God is not one to share HIS glory with anyone...even a president.
God can STILL achieve all the plans He has whether Romney or Obama is in office. Quite frankly, God can do these things without EITHER men. Have we forgotten He used a 14 year old boy to slay a giant? Have we forgotten how He used a professional murderer to take the Gospel to the Gentile nations? Yeah. He can do anything. So why are we so ignorant to think that He can't change Obama? He CAN and He WILL! How do I know this? Because I know He WANTS to. HIS heart is for EVERY person to know Him and love Him and live for Him. Even Obama.
You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have?
Matthew 5:43-46
But does that mean that because our ideal candidate wasn't chosen that we should speak badly about the President? NO! It means we should be praying for him! You are praying for him? Good. That means you should be feeling God's heart for him. After all, when you truly spend time praying for someone, your heart changes into having genuine love for them. The kind of love that shows in your actions and seeps through your words.
You see, if we love only those who agree with us, what good does that do? Everyone else in the world only loves those who agree with them --- look at the Planned Parenthood/Kommen scandal or how the LGBT groups treated Chick-Fil-A's stance on Biblical marriage. How do your actions (and thoughts; and emotions; and what is TRULY in your heart) towards Obama make you any more like Jesus than the people who don't know Him, and how much more are you going to be held accountable for? I urge you to think about these things...
Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits.
Proverbs 18:21
Can you say a person is disgusting, having never met them before? Can you say they hate our country, when clearly they loved enough of it to get the votes? Do we truly have a right to label someone's character when we have only seen them through a distorted, media lens? After all, we hate when people do that to us. And you will reap what you sow in your words. The Bible says so. You will eat the fruits of your words. Choose them wisely. We can declare the word of God, which NEVER fails, over Obama and his presidency and his life and wife and family, OR we can declare the word of man, which ALWAYS fails, over him. Which word do you think will give us a better America?
"We judge others by their actions, but we judge ourselves by our intentions."
Interesting... Maybe we should start holding ourselves to a higher standard of living, as lovers of Jesus, and maybe just maybe that might just change something. (**Not "maybe". It WILL.**)
So, there ya go! Power of the tongue. Good stuff. I like putting the words that leave my mouth into perspective...
That's what I got for all of ya'll... That was weird. I never say "ya'll"...Oooh... Awkward.
Okay, well it is late and I have an early morning... This weekend is Convergence and I cannot wait to tell you how it goes next week!
I love you all!!
Cheryl
No comments:
Post a Comment