Trump Presidency

Hello, my friends.  I’ve been watching and reading Twitter and Facebook Feeds for the last several days with the heaviest of heart.  Because of the strong feelings surrounding this election (and some other Christian-leader issues that surfaced not too long ago) a true divide has been drawn among the nation-wide body of Christ… at least among it’s women.  And it’s been ugly.  And frankly, the only thing I can see that this divide and arguing and hatred has accomplished is to further our REAL enemy’s goal (the real enemy would be the devil, himself Ephesians 6:12): to steal, kill, and destroy the unity and effectiveness of the body of Christ.   And thus far, I think it’s been going pretty well for him.

So what are we to do, Church?  Ladies?  How do we move on when feelings are raw and “assumptions” are made about others and staked down about them as truth?  When things have been blasted across social media about and to our brothers and sisters in Christ for the whole watching world to see?  Honestly… Who would want to be a Christ-follower these days with the way we are all acting?  What in the world would be in it for them?

Peace?… No.

Unity, Acceptance, and Family?… No.  We are too busy cutting each other down right now.

Joy?…No.  There are too many Christian “downers” out there {with eyes and words cast down instead of up on Jesus}.

Love?… No.  Apparently you “love” only if you voted under one party’s ticket, and a vote for one means hatred for everything else the other stands for.

Forgiveness and Grace?… No. There is none of that to spread around… yet.

Hope?…No.  Many are acting as if their world is about to collapse and as if God can not save it.

Salvation and Eternal Life?… Who is even talking about this right now?

Friends, God has convicted me of some of these very things, and that’s why I can share them so boldly with you.  I say these not in condemnation, but in confession and humility, with great hope in the ONE who is still 100% on His Throne.

As I opened my Name of Jesus today, I found myself in Psalm 25 praying this first for myself, and then for our nation.  It is a beautiful heart-healing and nation- healing prayer.

Would you join with me in praying through this Psalm today?  The words of the Psalm are in bold and my extra prayer words or instructions are in blue.  Just read the Psalm out to the Lord in a spirit of prayer and supplication…

Psalm 25
Prayer for Protection, Guidance and Pardon.
A Psalm of David.

Praise and worship the Lord, and genuinely make these requests…

To You, O Lord, I lift up my soul.

2  O my God, in You I [have unwavering] trust [and I rely on You with steadfast confidence], Do not let me be ashamed or my hope in You be disappointed; Do not let my enemies triumph over me.

3  Indeed, none of those who [expectantly] wait for You will be ashamed;  Those who turn away from what is right and deal treacherously without cause will be ashamed (humiliated, embarrassed).

4  Let me know Your ways, O Lord;  Teach me Your paths.

5  Guide me in Your truth and teach me, For You are the God of my salvation; For You [and only You] I wait [expectantly] all the day long.

6  Remember, O Lord, Your [tender] compassion and Your lovingkindnesses, For they have been from of old.

7  Do not remember the sins of my youth or my transgressions;
According to Your lovingkindness remember me, For Your goodness’ sake, O Lord.

Pause here and spend some time in confession, letting the water of the Word wash over you and cleanse you from anything that has caused a barrier between the Lord and you, and let Him restore you to sweet fellowship with Himself.

When you are done, you can rejoice in these next few verses as you pray these for yourself and our nation and its leaders:

8  Good and upright is the Lord; Therefore He instructs sinners in the way.

9  He leads the humble in justice, And He teaches the humble His way.

10  All the paths of the Lord are lovingkindness and goodness and truth and faithfulness To  those who keep His covenant and His testimonies.

11  For Your name’s sake, O Lord, Pardon my wickedness and my guilt, for they are great.

12  Who is the man who fears the Lord [with awe-inspired reverence and worships Him with submissive wonder]? He will teach him [through His word] in the way he should choose.

13  His soul will dwell in prosperity and goodness, And his descendants will inherit the land.

14  The secret [of the wise counsel] of the Lord is for those who fear Him, And He will let them know His covenant and reveal to them [through His word] its [deep, inner] meaning.

15  My eyes are continually toward the Lord, For He will bring my feet out of the net.

By this point, the Lord has cleansed us, and reminded us of His goodness, and our eyes are off of ourselves and centered back on Him.  NOW we are ready to process what is going on in our nation through God’s perspective and with His help.  Here in these last verses, where it says “me” and “Israel” you could also pray for our nation.

16  Turn to me [Lord] and be gracious to me,
For I am alone and afflicted.

17  The troubles of my heart are multiplied;
Bring me out of my distresses.

18  Look upon my affliction and my trouble,
And forgive all my sins.

19  Look upon my enemies, for they are many;
They hate me with cruel and violent hatred.

20  Guard my soul and rescue me;
Do not let me be ashamed or disappointed,
For I have taken refuge in You.

21  Let integrity and uprightness protect me,
For I wait [expectantly] for You.

22  O God, redeem Israel,
Out of all his troubles.