10 Ways We Can Bring Good Out of This Election By Dr. Charles Browning Foundation for Applied Biblical Counseling

Transcription

1 10 Ways We Can Bring Good Out of This Election By Dr. Charles Browning Today, nearly half of our country celebrates and high-fives and yes, some even gloat and mock. But at the same time, the other half of our nation grieves and mourns with grave concerns about where our country is headed. If I may, let me offer a few words of comfort and encouragement to the latter group, along with what I believe to be practical guidance from the Word of God as to how the Lord would have us respond to this new reality. Here are 10 steps we can take as believers to bring good out of this election: 1. Be careful not to complain or focus on the negative. Many of us feel that we have a right to complain about the outcome of the recent election. But God tells us in 1 Cor. 10:10, "Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured [complained], and were destroyed of the destroyer." If we focus on what He calls the "evil report", this gives the destroyer, Satan, the opportunity to destroy us. Complaining is deadly stuff! Don't go there. 2. Instead, praise God into the reality we find ourselves in now. In Psalm 22:3 God tells us that He "inhabits the praises of His [people]." And in Psalm 106:47 He exhorts us, "Save us, O Lord our God, and gather us from among the heathen, to give thanks unto thy holy name, and to triumph in thy praise." And again in Hebrews 13:15 the Lord calls on us to do this: "By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of [our] lips giving thanks to his name." And yes, dear ones, it is a "sacrifice" because it isn't easy, but we do it out of obedience, not because we feel like it. And in that obedient, sacrificial praise and thanksgiving, He will get the glory and we will get the victory. Copyright 2008 Dr. Charles H. Browning and. All rights reserved.

2 3. Keep looking DOWN! That's right, down, not up. Why? Because in Colossians 3:1-3 He tells us that "[Since] ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God." And in Ephesians 2:6 He reminds us that He "hath raised [us] up together, and made [us] sit together in heavenly [places] in Christ Jesus." He is sovereignly in control -- even of elections -- and we are to see all things, ALL THINGS, from His perspective, with Him on the Throne and we are seated with Him there, watching and knowing He will work it all for our good, for His kingdom and for His glory. When you do this, seeing it all as He sees it (laying down our feelings and attitudes and biases in the process), then we actually live out the truth in Isaiah 40:31 -- "But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew [their] strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; [and] they shall walk, and not faint." And eagles are above the blast of the storm... not under the circumstances, aren't they? So, KEEP LOOKING DOWN! 4. Ask the Holy Spirit, the Comforter, to lift and comfort and strengthen those who mourn. Can you imagine the depth and crushing weight of all the pain in our nation today? Let us not feel sorry for ourselves, but ask God to show us how to pray for all those wounded and fearful hearts across the land. Let us set aside our own emotions and attitudes and stand in the gap for others, claiming His promise also in Isaiah 40, "He giveth power to the faint; and to [them that have] no might he increaseth strength" (v. 29). A "very present [right now!] help in trouble" as He promises in Psalm 46:1. Lord, how would You have us pray for them? 5. Pray for those who gloat. Pride is a deadly thing, ruining countless lives. And those who are prideful (full of pride) seldom know they are. Satan delights in displaying one of his chief character qualities through man, and he has many willing, but ignorant, vessels. Ask God to help them and forgive them... they know not what they do TO THEMSELVES, AND TO OTHERS. Copyright 2008 Dr. Charles H. Browning and. All rights reserved.

3 6. Ask God to forgive our own critical and judgmental attitudes. Who, us? Yes, us. No one likes being maneuvered and manipulated. And we all had plenty of that, didn t we, not only by the politicians themselves, but also by the media. Smooth words for itching ears, as the Bible calls it. Being aware of this kind of attempted mind control, it is so easy for our hearts to become hardened and for us to become judgmental and critical. If we let our hearts become resentful or bitter, we actually give man more power over us than God! But let us remember this command not suggestion given to us by God through Paul in Romans 14:4: "Who art thou that judgest another man's servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand." Let us ask our God, the only One who should be in control over our thought life, to make our new president stand. All of our negativity and fault-finding and our despair will do nothing to help our country, will it? Lord, forgive us for our critical spirit and show us how to stand in the gap for Obama, with You in the Spirit and in love. 7. Ask God how we should pray for Obama's advisors. Our country faces serious threats and dangers on many fronts was only the beginning. Evil, demonically-controlled men are very cunning and shrewd. Unlike our masses, they are unimpressed with the spin or the spell. These evil men will likely seek to test the strength, or weakness, of America s new leader. This places our people at great risk. Therefore, let us ask the Lord to draw to Obama men and women of strength. Let him recognize and enlist the help and counsel of wise advisors; not just those who agree with his political views. May the Lord cause him to see the full gravity of his office and the importance of balanced, egoless decision making. Now that he has successfully organized the vast community called the United States of America, may God give him the good judgment to lean hard on those with brains and guts and yes, even those who know the living God. The God who is the same yesterday, TODAY and forever, is still doing miracles! Let us watch expectantly. Lord, show us how to pray wisely, in faith, for those who will guide this man so our nation is protected from wicked and corrupt men. Copyright 2008 Dr. Charles H. Browning and. All rights reserved.

4 8. Keep in mind how all of this REALLY came about. Yes, for sure man is masterful at mesmerizing minds; this election proves that to be so. But all of this really isn't about man. It is about the will of God. Why? Because He tells us in Psalm 75:5-7, "Lift not up your horn on high: speak [not with] a stiff neck [pride and arrogance]. For promotion [cometh] neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south [from man]. But God [is] the judge: he puteth down one, and setteth up another." He calls the shots. And He does all things well, even when our feeble minds cannot understand why. Perhaps it is because our country has drifted so very, very far from Him. Kicking Him out of our schools, our government, our courts and many of our homes and hearts. Perhaps He chose to give us this man and his friends to lead us because He needs to discipline and chasten those He loves. He did this once before in our country, remember? Interest rates were over 20% and our foreign policy was in shambles. But mercifully He only disciplined us for four years in the late 70s with a different man as commander-in-chief. May our "spanking" only last four years this time! Lord, have mercy on us. 9. Pray fervently for those whose very lives are now at even greater risk. Someone has rightly said that the most dangerous place to live in this country is not in the middle of some gang-infested ghetto, but in a woman's womb. Our new president co-sponsored the Freedom of Choice Act, (S.1173) which would make partial-birth abortion legal again, require taxpayer funding of abortion, and invalidate virtually all state and federal limitations on abortion, such as parental notification laws. Obama said this: "I have consistently advocated for reproductive choice and will make preserving women s rights under Roe v. Wade a priority as president. Almost 1.3 MILLION precious, innocent little people are robbed of life every single year in this country that's around 3,000 babies killed every single day. If someone chose today to take the life of Sarah Palin's little Trig, a baby with Down Syndrome, he would be imprisoned for life or put to death. But if a hired killer was brought in before his birthday on April 18, 2008 to end his life, he would have been paid well to perform "the procedure." Our new president, the Senate and House will now have even more power to choose to continue this slaughter of the unborn innocent. There may not be much hope to change the stance of Copyright 2008 Dr. Charles H. Browning and. All rights reserved.

5 these "leaders", but let us pray that God will turn many mothers' hearts away from such evil and turn their hearts toward loving and cherishing their babies. Or at least bringing them into this world and giving them a life where they can be loved by others. May God forgive us for causing Him such grief and give us the strength and opportunity to stand for these helpless babies. 10. Pray for God s people to wake up, unite and rise up together to take a stand for righteousness. He shows us in Proverbs 24:30-34 a picture of our own nation and the picture isn't pretty. I went by the field of the lazy man, and by the vineyard of the man devoid of understanding. And there it was, all overgrown with thorns; its surface was covered with nettles; its stone wall was broken down. When I saw it, I considered it; I looked on it and received instruction: a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest, so shall your poverty come like a prowler, and your need like an armed man. How have we been lazy in taking a stand for truth? How have we neglected our own repentance and humility? How have we, as the children of God, let the ways of this world choke off the love and grace of God shining through us? Lord, help us to wake up and redeem the time. Help us to take a stand for Your ways, Your will to be done in our country. And all for Your glory. "Be not overcome with evil, but overcome evil with good." Romans 12:21 These are just a few ways we can make this happen and bring good out of this historic and frightening time. Ask God to reveal His special wisdom to you about how He wants you to join Him as He works all these things together for good. Copyright 2008 Dr. Charles H. Browning and. All rights reserved.

6 A Note About Us FABC () is the non-profit partner ministry of Browning Therapy Group, working with churches and Christian organizations across the country to bring affordable help and healing to those in the throes of life s storms. We provide Christian and secular counseling in a variety of ways to meet the needs and demands of today s busy lifestyle in-person, video conferencing, /online, and telephone counseling. Check out our website at for a wealth of helpful resources to edify and enrich the thirsty soul. To contact the author, Dr. Charles Browning, please drb@hisvictory.com or you may call Copyright 2008 Dr. Charles H. Browning and. All rights reserved.