Well…, the ones that always accuse us of being intolerant, and who ride around in their hybrid cars with ‘Peace’ and ‘Coexist’ stickers, and who incessantly accuse us of being ‘haters’ are taking their brand of ‘tolerance’ and ‘coexistence’ to the streets. They’re exhibiting their usual demonstration of the benefits of higher education—screaming their filth and profanity, seeing how many times they can insert the ‘f’ word in a sentence, and chanting all the left-wing ‘progressive’ talking points, just like their professors taught them to do. And while they’re at it, there’s also the obligatory defacing and destruction of private property, blocking roads and endangering the lives of innocent people, while also engaging in verbal abuse and physical violence against those who might have committed the unpardonable offense of disagreeing with them. Thankfully, many compassionate universities are stepping up to do something about it. Classes are being cancelled in schools across the land for those too terribly traumatized by the election, and too exhausted from all the marching, screaming, and vandalizing to attend. Some of the emotionally wounded are being offered the services of a ‘therapy dog’. Perhaps it’s the licking that helps. Others are being given coloring books and Play-Doh. Wonderful to know that America’s ‘best and brightest’ are being so well cared for and so thoroughly prepared to handle life’s challenges.
Praise–An Alternative to Rolaids ~
In view of this fresh wave of exposure to the kind of ‘upside down thinking’ that has plagued this nation for decades, I have the following prescription for your nausea. Sit down in your favorite chair, lean your head back, close your eyes, take a deep breath, and remember all those things that the accumulated ‘wizards of smart’ have said for the last year and a half that couldn’t happen. Then let your mind and heart re-live the moment when you knew that the concession speech on Wednesday morning wasn’t coming from Donald Trump. Then just smile and let your soul offer thanks to God.
American Flag–Image by Mike Mozart
We have been privileged to experience the most amazing and powerful political uprising in our lifetimes—maybe in modern American history. For those of us who desperately prayed, and who offered time, money, energy, and influence to keep Hillary Clinton and her destructive policies out of the White House, this victory was and is more than sweet. The realization of it was almost intoxicating. For me, the feeling that erupted when the news was clear that Donald Trump had won was overwhelming. The sense of praise and deep gratitude hit me with such intensity that it brought tears to my eyes. My wife and I hugged each other and struggled to find words. About all we could manage was, “Hallelujah—Hallelujah—Hallelujah!”
Praise–Irritating the Adversary ~
There’s always a reaction, of course, and we must not ignore it. Anything that allows us to feel really good, that fills our hearts with gratitude and our mouths with praise to God, enrages the enemy. So, be assured of this, our rejoicing over any victory is like poking the devil in his eye. He wants to snatch away our praise and replace it with a fresh injection of anxiety. He wants it obliterated by the dread of another battle and potential defeat, or with the thought that somehow what we’ve just won is going to be taken away. He delights to see the soothing warmth of our hope chilled by the icy grip of some unrealized apprehension. He wants to dash our freshly reinforced faith to the ground and bury it beneath another wave of doubt and fear. I suggest that we cast another vote today–a vote not to let him do it!
All of us who hold Judeo-Christian values have had plenty of reasons to feel downtrodden for a long time. An increasingly anti-Christian government has subjected us to policies that have weighed heavily on our hearts and spirits for generations. Our future has been shrouded under the popular culture’s national obsession for finding new examples of twisted human behavior that they can declare to be normal and desirable, or some new pattern of evil that they can deem good. The burden has been taxing our strength and draining our joy for a long time. But this is a new day.
Motivation for Praise–Unprecedented and Undeniable ~
Those who represent the real heartland of America have finally pushed back against a corrupt and oppressive political system. God has blessed that revolt and allowed something that is unprecedented in our lifetime, and with it comes renewed faith that the same thing can happen spiritually. We won! This is our time to celebrate, and I believe that celebration is part of what God wants us to have in the wake of every victory.
Praise–Joy With Benefits ~
Periodically throughout history, God has done more than just invite His people to rejoice. He has commanded them to do it. In instituting the Feast of Tabernacles, for instance, God ordered this,
“And you shall take for yourselves on the first day the fruit of beautiful trees, branches of palm trees, the boughs of leafy trees, and willows of the brook; and you shall rejoice before the LORD your God for seven days” (Leviticus 23:40).
For an entire week, God wanted them to be wholly given to expressing their joy for His provision, and His objective was not just for them to feel giddy and excited. There is a strength that comes with that kind of focused praise that God wanted them to absorb, because they were going to need it in the days ahead. That is true for us as well. There are benefits in our rejoicing that will help sustain us as the warfare unfolds, and we must not give them away.
Praise–‘On’ Purpose, ‘With’ Purpose ~
So… at least for a while, shut off the endless parade of the ‘tolerant’ anarchists who can’t stand us. Take some focused time to rejoice on purpose—and with purpose, because God has shown us again that sometimes there really is “honey in the rock”. Sometimes the water really does part. Sometimes the walls really do fall down, and sometimes the giants don’t win!
© 2016 Gallagher’s Pen, Ronald L. Gallagher, Ed.S. All rights reserved.
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Gallagher's Pen ~ 
We have much work to do. Republican, Democrats, Liberals, Conservatives…etc. Americans. Citizens of the United States have an opportunity to re-think how we relate to each other. What makes us great or what can make us great. Why is there such a sharp divide between people?
I imagine the answer is sin. We are our brother’s keeper…We are to think more highly of others than of ourselves…We are to pray for those in leadership of us…We are to be responsible citizens in this land of plenty…We have much work to do. Let there be peace on earth and let it begin with me.
Tommy
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Thanks, Tommy– I appreciate your comment and your commitment to God’s Truth. It would be so very nice if ‘peace on earth’ would unfold simply because I have a sincere desire for it to be a reality. You are right in your suggestion that sin is the problem. Thank God, there is a solution for us as individuals, but for mankind at large, the picture is not so rosy. I don’t like the fact that there’s an enemy, but there is, and he pits us against God, and against each other. His Modis Operandi is to divide at any and every point, and we’re sent into a world continuously embroiled in a state of spiritual warfare. Our desire for universal peace makes the statement that Jesus made to His followers disturbing. He said, “Do you suppose that I came to give peace on earth? I tell you, not at all, but rather division” (Luke 12:51 NKJV). You’re also right about having much work to do, and while that work may include carrying out civic responsibilities, the objective is far more significant. It is to bring the ‘Good News’ of deliverance from the ravages of sin on a personal level to as many people as possible. Though we won’t have universal peace in this world until He returns, we can have eternal peace with Him personally, even in the midst of the battles that we must continue to face. May God bless you as you continue to engage in the “much work” that we have to do.
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Thank you Ron for your sincere and honest thoughts about this election. I am afraid too many of us are surrounded by liberals who will “unfriend” (and not only on FB) us if we are truthful about our opinions. I am guilty of this to an extent, with some co-workers and patrons (I am a librarian in Baltimore). On Wednesday morning when I said “Good Morning” to my manager, all he would say was “Hello,” and that he refused to say “Good Morning” because it was not a good morning. The man is in his 40’s but I think that he was acting more like his daughter, who is 20 months old. Thoughts like this are childish and destructive–actually I know children who would behave better. We should be thankful for people such as yourself who “tell it like it is” so to speak.
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Thanks so much, Anne, and God bless you for standing strong for the Truth. The opposition is exposing more and more how thoroughly incapable they are of the tolerance they demand of us. The war doesn’t cease until we get home, but it’s wonderful to know that there are people out there like you who won’t be swayed by the seductive liberal rhetoric.
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Thank you so much for your thoughts. As fervently as we prayed for the election, we (Christians across the country) need to pray for the healing of the divides within our nation and for wisdom for Donald Trump and his staff. We need to praise God everyday for all He has done for us!!
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God bless you for the supportive comment, Catherine–and especially for the prayers you offer on behalf of this nation and its impending new leadership. As I have so often reiterated, it’s clear that those who oppose all we stand for are totally incapable of the tolerance they demand that we extend to them. As Paul said to Timothy, “evil men and seducers will wax worse and worse, but you must continue in the things you have learned, knowing from whom you learned them.” We didn’t learn the basis for determining right vs. wrong, wisdom vs. foolishness, or good vs. evil from some humanist philosophy class. Our authority comes from the One who created us, and who sent His Son to die in our place. We can take great courage in that, and must continue to encourage one another, like you have done with your gracious comment.
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