Hope

“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” Hebrews 13:8

Today I found myself needing a heaped-up helping of hope. The President our nation chose yesterday is politically inexperienced, said that he didn’t want his daughters “punished with a baby” if they “make a mistake,” does not uphold God’s pattern of marriage between one man and one woman, and published a book with the statement, “I will stand with them (the Muslims) should the political winds shift in an ugly direction.” Trying to obey God, I did pray for our new leader this morning. Soon after, I went searching scripture for hope. Let me share with you what God shared with me.

The election outcome does not mean God is weak.
Our President is changing. Our God is not. We serve the same God who mightily plagued hard-hearted Pharaoh 10 times, who rescued Israel from slavery in Egypt, who parted the Red Sea to protect His children, and who brought His people into the land He promised them over 600 years earlier. We serve the same God who raised Jesus Christ from the dead, proving He is God and etching in obedient hearts the promise of eternal life. God’s power has always been unlimited and God does not change.

The election outcome does not mean God has permanently rejected His people.
Though America began as people wanting to worship God freely, many have turned radically away from Him to serve idols. Instead of pursuing the true God, America has chosen to seek after false gods of money and power, leisure and convenience, and pleasure in every form. In Bible times, God judged this behavior. Sometimes He gave Israel the leader they wanted (like evil Saul), despite His warnings that the human king would take a tenth of everything they had and make them slaves. Sometimes God allowed other nations to oppress His people in order to draw them back to Himself. But here’s the hope; God never permanently rejected His people.

God always preserved a faithful remnant, answered the cries of repentant hearts and promised His Presence to the obedient. In the Old Testament God told Joshua, “…I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you….Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:5-9) And in the New Testament Jesus, Himself, told believers, “…obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:20)

So take courage, dear friends!
Continue to pray, share with others the hope you have in Christ and strive for personal holiness as He leads you in His Word. Jesus Christ, King of Kings, is still on the throne. His power cannot be diminished. His plan cannot be thwarted. His people cannot lose because He has already won for us eternal victory — and God does not change!

* If you do not yet know personally the unlimited power of the God who doesn’t change — Jesus Christ, it’s not too late. Simply kneel and pray.

Acknowledge Jesus as the one true living God and ask Him to be your Savior — the One who paid the price for every imperfect thing you’ve ever done that keeps you separated from God. Ask Jesus to forgive you for those things and He will. “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9)

Then ask Jesus to lead you in a new life, learning more about Him…becoming more like Him. “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” (2 Corinthians 5:17)

Finally, find a church that can help you understand God’s instructions to you in the Bible. seek out Christian fellowship to strengthen and support you in your new life and begin today to intentionally turn away from doing those things that are not in line with what God teaches.

If you decided to do this today, welcome to the family!
You’re now a precious child of the unchanging, unchangeable God — Jesus Christ.