Tiffany is a dear friend of mine and she had some beautiful words to say after the election, they were so inspiring to me and I just had to share them with you all...So I asked her if she would be a guest blogger and she said Yes. Thank you Tiffany! Here are her words...
After initially being slightly freaked about the election results, I felt that God was showing me some things. In response to an email I read that said something to the effect of “There are consequences for the choice in President that American has made. I think what is in store for our country is going to be hell. Fasten your seatbelts; it’s going to be a bumpy ride,” I put what I felt God showing me into words. As I wrote them, I really felt like, yes, absolutely, this is what we are called to next! So I thought I would forward my thoughts onto you. Love, Tif
So the questions to ask ourselves are: Is my worry (fear) based on a lack of faith that God can handle this? Have circumstances and the free-will that God gave people taken this out of even His hands?
Even our “free will” cannot go against the will of God!
John 19:10"Do you refuse to speak to me?" Pilate said. "Don't you realize I have power either to free you or to crucify you?" 11Jesus answered, "You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above…”
As I watched the election results come in, my stomach began to hurt and kept hurting all evening. “No, Lord, no,” I kept thinking. And “You can still turn this around, Lord.” And yes, He could, if He chose to, but He has chosen, as someone else said, not to impose His will on us.
HOWEVER, and this is the most awesomest “however” ever! Consider the story of Joseph, whose brothers sold him with completely malicious intent. But his brothers played right into God’s plan. What did Joseph say to his brothers later? This just makes me laugh with joy and anticipation ...
Genesis 50:19-21 Joseph replied, "Don't be afraid. Do I act for God? Don't you see, you planned evil against me but God used those same plans for my good, as you see all around you right now—life for many people." (The Message)
What man meant for evil, God meant for good.
What came to mind on Tuesday night as I thought “Now what, Lord?” is a reminder that:
For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.
Ephesians 6:12And I thought, Ah! We Christians need to pray for this man, for God to bring about a conversion such as Paul had!!!!!!! What GREATER witness and evidence of a REAL and HOLY GOD, not only to our nation, but to the world watching our nation. If Barack Obama became a REAL believer, he would become a new creation! His heart would completely change in so many ways, including towards the unborn, for just one example; he would surely begin to do everything in his power to protect the unborn rather than fighting to remove every shred of protection. WHAT THEN?
REMEMBER PAUL! Prior to his conversion, Paul was a Pharisee and a persecutor of Christians. Luke tells us in Acts 9 that Paul was on the road to Damascus when he saw a light from heaven and heard a voice saying, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” Paul responded, “Who are you, Lord?” and the reply came, “I am Jesus Whom you are persecuting.” Paul was blind for three days, and then his site was restored when Ananias laid hands on him. Christ’s revelation completely changed Paul's life, and he went from being a persecutor of Christians to the greatest missionary of the early church.
We tend to think of Paul the way he was AFTER his conversion -- take a moment to REMIND yourself of this incredible story:
Paul's conversion:
Paul said in Acts 26:9 “I myself thought that I should do everything I could against the cause of Jesus of Nazareth. That is what I did in Jerusalem. I received authority from the chief priests and put many of God’s people in prison; and when they were sentenced to death, I also voted against them. Many times I had them punished in the synagogues and tried to make them deny their faith. I was so furious with them that I even went to foreign cities to persecute them.”
About Stephen when he was stoned: Acts 7:57 With a loud cry the members of the Council covered their ears with their hands. Then they all rushed at him at once, 58 threw him out of the city, and stoned him. The witnesses left their cloaks in the care of a young man named Saul. 59 They kept on stoning Stephen as he called out to the Lord, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!” 60 He knelt down and cried out in a loud voice, “Lord! Do not remember this sin against them!” He said this and died. Acts 8:1(Amplified) AND SAUL was [not only] consenting to [Stephen's] death [he was [
a]pleased and [
b]entirely approving].
Acts 8:1 That very day the church in Jerusalem began to suffer cruel persecution. All the believers, except the apostles, were scattered throughout the provinces of Judea and Samaria. 2 Some devout men buried Stephen, mourning for him with loud cries. 3 But Saul tried to destroy the church; going from house to house, he dragged out the believers, both men and women, and threw them into jail.
Acts 9:1 Meanwhile Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest 2 and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any who belonged to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem.
Acts 9:3 Now as he was going along and approaching Damascus, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. 4 He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” (skipping a lot . . . you know the story . . . )
Acts 9:17 So Ananias went and entered the house. He laid his hands on Saul and said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on your way here, has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” 18 And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and his sight was restored. Then he got up and was baptized, . . . 20 and immediately he began to proclaim Jesus in the synagogues, saying, “He is the Son of God.” 21 All who heard him were amazed and said, “Is not this the man who made havoc in Jerusalem among those who invoked this name? And has he not come here for the purpose of bringing them bound before the chief priests?” 22 Saul became increasingly more powerful and confounded the Jews who lived in Damascus by proving that Jesus was the Messiah.
What man meant for evil, God meant for good!
Paul said later in 1 Ti 1:12 “I am grateful to Christ Jesus our Lord, who has strengthened me, because he judged me faithful and appointed me to his service, 13 even though I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and a man of violence. But I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief, 14 and the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. 15 The saying is sure and worthy of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the foremost. 16 But for that very reason I received mercy, so that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display the utmost patience, making me an example to those who would come to believe in him for eternal life.”
Ah Lord God! It is you who made the heavens and the earth by your great power and by your outstretched arm! Nothing is too hard for you! (Jeremiah 32:17)
The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. (Romans 16:20)
For everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God. (1 John 5:4-5)
Say to those with fearful hearts, “Be strong, do not fear; your God will come, he will come with vengeance; with divine retribution he will come to save you.” (Isaiah 35:4-5)
Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, beloved, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. (Philippians 4:6-8)
Cast all your anxiety on him, because he cares for you. Discipline yourselves, keep alert. Like a roaring lion your adversary the devil prowls around, looking for someone to devour. Resist him, steadfast in your faith. . . . And after you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, support, strengthen, and establish you. (1 Peter 5: 7-10)
Jeremiah 29:11-1311For I know the thoughts and plans that I have for you, says the Lord, thoughts and plans for welfare and peace and not for evil, to give you hope in your final outcome.
12Then you will call upon Me, and you will come and pray to Me, and I will hear and heed you.
13Then you will seek Me, inquire for, and require Me [as a vital necessity] and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.
And finally: Psalms 46:10 Let be and be still, and know (recognize and understand) that I am God.
Love, Tiffany
