On President Barack Obama

Did your candidate win or lose? What emotions has the outcome produced in you?

There is a whole continuum of responses to last nights election of Barack Obama. For some there is outright jubilation. I read of a friend whose response was," I am crying tears of joy. I'm off to a celebration party. Yeah Obama!" Others are lamenting in a puddle of despair and thinking of moving out of the country. Probably the majority of the people are indifferent - could care less.

I've had to learn a lesson about politics over the years. There have been times when my candidate won and times when my candidate lost. In fact, since I have been old enough to vote I am 2 out of 5. That's not too bad.

I have learned that my hope doesn't reside in who wins the presidency. That is true whether it is someone I am for or against. The hope for my life, my family, and this country belongs to the Lord God Almighty.

Isaiah reminds me, "Have you not known? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God." He is Sovereign. He has all power. He knows and sees all.

Daniel 2:21 says that He removes and sets up kings.

I trust His Sovereignty. I trust His plan. I trust His hand.


I will pray for President Obama. That is my Christian obligation. I will pray for his salvation, his family, his protection, for him to be guided by godly wisdom. And then I will trust in the Sovereign God.

What about you?

Historic Halloween: True Repentance

There was no trick or treat on October 31, 1517. That was the day that the great Martin Luther nailed to the door of the Wittenburg church his 95 Theses. It was basically a paper written to refute the serious error of the Roman Catholic Church at that time.

The major point of dispute was that some priests were selling forgiveness to the people. Literally. If you paid enough money you could have your sins forgiven.

Martin Luther had studied and read the Bible. He knew that such a concept was offensive to the true gospel. So, he spoke (and wrote) the truth.

I am intrigued by the very first of his 95 Theses. It is on repentance. That is the biblical mandate for anyone who would follow Christ.

Here are the first 3.

#1 When our Lord and Master, Jesus Christ, said "Repent", He called for the entire life of believers to be one of repentance.

#2 The word cannot be properly understood as referring to the sacrament of penance, i.e. confession and satisfaction, as administered by the clergy.

#3 Yet its meaning is not restricted to repentance in one's heart; for such repentance is null unless it produces outward signs in various mortifications of the flesh.


The rest are worth reading as well. Martin Luther’s 95 Theses