On Trump's Election November 09, 2016 Cary Anderson Ok, this is going to be a lengthy brain dump. If you’re not a reader, I get it… move on. Let me start by saying I approached this election viewing Trump as my preferred candidate over Clinton. Let me also say, that I think the candidates should be assessed based on their merits. Just because Trump represents my party affiliation, doesn’t mean I’m going to jump on the bandwagon of everything that gets said or happens with his ticket. I’ll take sides with whatever is addressed in an honest, intelligent, mature, and experienced understanding of the issues. I watched the 3 presidential debates and the vice presidential debate, hoping to learn more about the important issues and hoping to get a feel for the characters of the two contenders. The high level political issues that are important to me are: smaller government, a move away from socialism back toward a democratic republic based on an honest interpretation of the authors’ intent of the constitution, and a more self-sufficient (less dependent on other countries) America. I came away from the debates thinking, “There’s no possible way Trump could ever win. If Trump actually wins, it would be the most surreal, bizarre situation I can imagine.” I think it will take me a while to wrap my head around how it happened. As far as what I hoped to get from the debates, I came away gaining a negligible increase in awareness of the issues, and the sense I got from the 2 candidates’ characters was disappointing at best. Hillary Clinton came off as a stereotypically and openly dishonest and corrupt politician guilty of indisputable criminal activity. Donald Trump came off as a bumbling idiot, an imbecilic childish clown, incapable and inexperienced in the realm of political rule. The flip side of those two interpretations was that if Trump won, then if a turn away from the current trend toward greater and greater government rule and suppression of individual rights and freedoms were ever going to realistically happen, it would more likely come from Trump than Clinton. If Clinton won, at least she would be a seasoned, experienced politician who understands the system and how things work. She would likely have a better understanding of the economy, foreign policy, national security, etc. These are low level, ongoing issues that are not as important as the higher level issues such as character, integrity, honesty, and ultimately, an acknowledgment that God is the Lord over the earth, and He directs the unfolding of events according to His plans for mankind. Coming from a Christian perspective, I hold the following high-level world view that I believe insures blessings and prosperity. In Daniel 4, King Nebuchadnezzar, the ruler of the Babylonian empire, the most powerful empire on earth at that time (to which I draw a loose parallel with America, arguably the most powerful nation on earth today), viewed himself as a mighty and powerful ruler over the earth. God sent him a message saying that, because of his pride, he would be humbled and live like an animal in the open field eating grass like cattle... until he acknowledged “that the most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomever he wills, and sets up over it the basest of men.” Since I know that God is the one who puts people in power over every nation on earth, my prayer becomes one where I ask God to place the person in the presidency who will best serve the needs of God and country, and who will acknowledge that God is the principle authority over the affairs of men everywhere. Another important factor is the support of Israel. There are multiple instances in God’s word where He says He will bless those who bless His people, and curse those who curse His people. Genesis 12:1-3 “Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get yourself out of your country, and from your people, and from your father's house, and go to a land that I will show you. I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great; and you will be a blessing. I will bless them that bless you, and curse him that curses you: and in you will all families of the earth be blessed.” Another factor regarding the state of the nation (its blessings and prosperity) is the faithfulness of God’s people, Christians and Jews. In 2 Chronicles 7:14, God himself says “If my people, which are called by my name, will humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.” If His people really did those things, how could He not take notice and act? Finally, on a more personal and individual note, which is where I think the ultimate responsibility lies, Psalm 1 says “Blessed is the man that walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law does he meditate day and night. He will be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatever he does will prosper. The ungodly are not so, but are like the chaff which the wind drives away. Therefore the ungodly will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous. For the Lord knows the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly will perish.” Since Trump has in fact won the election, I feel responsible to acknowledge first, that if God’s people did pray for His will in this election, then Trump’s win is an answer to that prayer (if Clinton would have won, then her win would have been an answer to that prayer). As such, it is my responsibility to not be shocked by that win, but to be faithful and acknowledge it for what it is… answered prayer. Following that line of thinking, I know we need to continue to pray and not be like God’s people in the time of the judges where the nation called out to God for help, received that help, then forgot about God until the next time they were in trouble. This led to a decreasing, cyclical spiral downward away from God’s blessing of the nation until they were ultimately removed from the land and disbanded as a nation. I’m reminded specifically in Judges 21:25 where it documents that “In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes.” Every man doing that which was right in his own eyes was the undoing of the nation. [There has to be an absolute truth, a standard that everyone can refer back to as a point of reference, so that when conflicts or disagreements arise, we can put our personal passions aside and agree on the declarations of that previously established standard]. They sunk into greater and greater disobedience and realized the promised lack of blessing as a result. Regarding continuing in prayer and the consequences of failing to do so, Romans 18:1-27 says “The wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. For this reason God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonor their own bodies between themselves: Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen. For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompense of their error which was fit. If God’s people will continue to humble themselves, and pray, and seek His face, and turn from their wicked ways, then He will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. What true believer in the Lord ever believed anything was ever accomplished without prayer being the first and most important factor? John 15:5-7 “I am the vine, you are the branches: He that abides in me, and I in him, the same brings forth much fruit: for without me you can do nothing. If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye will ask what you will, and it will be done unto you.