WHAT DO WE DO NOW?

That is the question that I have been repeatedly asked by family, friends, colleagues and members of my congregation ever since the events of this past Tuesday night. In our mid-week service, I attempted to answer that question, not only to put people's fears to rest, but to remind them of Who ultimately governs the affairs of men.

First of all, let me say that as I sat and watched the events of election night I was both amazed, as well as honored to watch history take place right before my very eyes. To think that in almost a generation and a half we have watched this country go from treating black men as slaves to electing them as the leader of the free world, is nothing short of astounding. I went out and bought a paper Wednesday morning so that I would have a piece of history not only for myself, for to pass down to my son. I told him, "Son, always remember this night, because you have watched history unfold before your very eyes."

Loving, and knowing history the way that I do, I can proudly say that I am proud to be a citizen of the United States of America. I applaud President-elect Barak Obama for his promotion to the highest office in the world. Although I DID NOT vote for him, not because of his race, but because of his political views, there is no doubt that he ran a masterful campaign down to the minutest of detail. Furthermore, while others played the "race card" throughout the campaign, I never heard or saw him play the race hand.

My concern is not from a political or racial standpoint. I do not have a prejudice bone in my body, and I do not cling to a party as a security blanket. If you were to track my voting record, you would find that I have voted more Republican than Democrat; however, I have several bones to pick with the Republican party for NOT doing the jobs they were elected to do. From President Bush all the way down to my local politicians, they have let me down, they have let my family down, and they have let my nation down.

The concern that I have is from a MORAL standpoint. One of the reason I did not vote for President Obama is because of his views regarding abortion and same sex marriage. If one were to study history, they would find that the success of a nation is not determined economically, militarily, or politically; but, it is determined MORALLY. Every great power that has risen and fallen, did so because their moral foundation crumbled beneath them; be it Persia, Assyria, Babylon, Rome, or the United States of America.

Our recent economic woes, while due in part to poor leadership and decisions, are the result of cracks in our moral foundation. For example, politicians talk about finding a way to fix Social Security, so here's a thought: ABOLISH ABORTION! Since 1973, we have murdered more than 65 million babies. Fast forward 35 years and most of those would have been involved in the work force and paid into Social Security for 17 to 18 years. There is your solution for Social Security.

Thus, everything is directly linked to morality. There is no way around it. Why? It is because that is the way God set things up. "Blessed in the nation whose God is the Lord." (Psalm 33:12) It's one thing to have the words, "In God We Trust" on our currency, but when our lifestyles contradict those words, our currency becomes worthless.

We cannot take God out of our school system and not expect guns, violence, illiteracy and drugs. We cannot take God out of our judicial system and not expect abortion, same sex marriage, and assisted suicides. We cannot God out of our economic system and not expect stock market crashes, foreclosures, and the possibility of another Depression.

So, to answer the question, "What do we do now?' I have only one answer. As God's people, we do what we should have been doing all along, and that is awake out of our sleep, stand for truth, be salt and light instead of sugar and spice, and with a backbone like a saw log we refuse to back down, back away or back up.

As Christians, we have a mandate to pray for the "powers that be" which are "ordained of God." (Romans 13:1) Although you may not have voted for him, you and I have a responsibility to pray for President Obama. We must pray that God will work in his heart, and open his eyes to truth. We must pray that his liberal agenda in the Senate does not follow him to the White House. We must pray that he will lead this nation morally, so that he may lead this nation economically, politically, militarily and judicially.

I have placed his name at the top of my personal prayer list, and I hope that you will do the same. As the blood-bought, born-again people of God, we can still stand for right and pray for those who are wrong. Because at the end of the day, we know that regardless of who is in the White House, Jesus is still on the throne, and "the king's heart is in the hand of the Lord; as the rivers of water, he turneth it whithsoever he will." (Proverbs 21:1)

May God bless President Barak Obama, may this nation turn back to God, and may God's people awake from their sleep and not only recognize their responsibility to live as citizens of this country, but as citizens of another country.

With Eyes to the Hills from whence Cometh My Help,

Pastor Steve