Hello all,

Tuesday, November 4, 2008 was a sad day on the GOP fronts but even more poignant for Christians. As Lisa and I watched the results of the election unfold that evening, my stomach knotted up and a great pain fell upon my heart. Not because Senator John McCain would have made a better President, not because Governor Sarah Palin would have made a better Vice President. It was because I finally realized and had to accept that we live in a nation that does not place God first. Call me naive, an optimist or whatever but I have pulled my head out of the sand. We, as a nation, have allowed the important issues of how we are personally affected through our business success, our wise investments and personal wealth overshadows what is most important to God and His people. We have lost our faith and forgot what God does for our protection. We have lost focus that we as a nation are successful because of Him. We have become so self absorbed, so self centered, so self gratifying and prideful of what we accomplished, how we have made this nation successful, how we are so great and in reality all of these things are because of God and how we have been blessed through Him. There is a difference between the kind of pride that God hates (Proverbs 8:13) and the kind of pride we feel about a job well done. The kind of pride that stems from self-righteousness is sin and God hates it because it is a hindrance to seeking Him. (Psalm 10:4) explains that the proud are so consumed with themselves that their thoughts are far from God: "In his pride the wicked does not seek him; in all his thoughts there is no room for God. This kind of haughty pride is the opposite of the spirit of humility that God seeks:" "Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven" (Matthew 5:3). The "poor in spirit" are those who recognize their utter spiritual ruin and their inability to come to God aside from His divine grace. The proud, on the other hand, are so blinded by their pride that think they have no need of God or worse, that God should accept them as they are because they deserve His acceptance.

Throughout Scripture we are told about the consequences of pride. (Proverbs 16:18-19) tells us that, "Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall. Better to be lowly in spirit and among the oppressed than to share plunder with the proud." Satan was cast out of heaven because of pride (Isaiah 14:12-15). He had the selfish audacity to attempt to replace God Himself as the rightful ruler of the universe. But Satan will be cast down to hell in the final judgment of God. For those who rise up in defiance against God, there is nothing ahead for them but disaster, because "I will rise up against them' is the promise of the Lord. He will cut them off" (Isaiah 14:22). Pride has also kept many people from accepting Jesus Christ as personal Savior. Refusing to acknowledge that in our own strength we cannot do anything to inherit eternal life has been a stumbling block for prideful people. We are not to boast about ourselves, but if we want to boast, then we are to proclaim the glories of God. What we say about ourselves means nothing in God's work. It's what God says about us that makes the difference (2 Corinthians 10:13).

Why is pride so sinful? Pride is giving ourselves the credit for something that God has accomplished. Pride is taking the glory that belongs to God alone and giving it to ourselves. Pride is essentially self-worship. Anything we accomplish in this world would not have been possible were it not for God enabling and sustaining us. That is why we give God the glory?for He alone deserves it. At the fall of the Roman Empire , the people were facing a very similar level of pride and self destruction. We talk of Sodom and Gomorrah . Sure God was not pleased of how they had become so immoral and wicked but He was mostly hurt by their pride, arrogance, self satisfaction and forgot they were successful because of Him. Every nation falls when they get to that point because they take credit for the success and in reality it was all along because they were under the covering and protection of God.

We must give credit where credit is due. Give God the credit, give Him all the Glory. We are nothing without Him!

The future of our nation is in the hands of our new President Elect, Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden, scheduled to take office January 20, 2009 as well as all the elected offices November 4, 2008. We are facing turbulent times at what I believe to be epic proportions and we will have better days ahead of us before an even greater fall. Our new leaders have some good points, they may very well turn around our economic situation, they may be able to pull troops from the Middle East and they may resolve some of the conflicts in that part of the world. They may even do some of the greatest things in American history. we just do not know what our (not so distant) future holds. We have a new man at the helm, steering the future of our nation and we as a nation must support him but most importantly believe in us as a Christian nation and we must remain in prayer for the men and women that have been elected.

Our nation has voted. the results are in and the decision has been made. The time is NOW that we must band together as One Nation Under God. We need to be more prayerful than ever before for the actions and decisions of our leaders and the future of our country.

• Let's commit to prayerfully go to our Lord and Savior in regards to this great nation.
• Let's commit to pray for our people who have lost focus on the issues that are important to us and God like abortion, partial birth abortion, same sex marriage, our environment and so on.
• Let's commit to pray for lost souls, those living without hope and in darkness, including our elected officials.
• Let's commit to pray for encouragement of more and more people every day "in love and not in condemnation or judgment".
• Let's commit to showing the love of Christ in all we do. That we are a witness through our daily walk through our actions and what non-believers see and not necessarily hear.
• Let's commit to pray for our nation. our government at the federal, state and local levels.
• Let's commit to pray for our military, that they know they are fighting for the greater good, for our nation, our freedom and for our future generations.
• Let's commit to pray for those who wish to inflict harm to us and our enemy's.
• Let's pray for our allies. especially Israel and the Jewish people. They are God's chosen people and we are made one (or grafted in) through the blood of Jesus Christ. My best friend is a Jew. and His name is Jesus!
• Let's commit to pray as one Nation under God, with liberty and justice for all.

In Closing I leave this scripture with you.

"Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence."
1 Timothy 2:1-2

Now, I am not going to say anything like if you love Jesus - pass this to 10 people and you will see a rabbit run across the bottom of your screen or anything like that. I am not going to manipulate you into thinking that if you don't forward this on you are NOT a Christian.

These are just my thoughts on the election and our nation. If you feel led to pass along that's fine. or you can simply place this in your delete file.

May God bless you in all you do since He receives all the Glory.

Andy Zeggert

www.oldmillministries.org

Old Mill Ministries' focus is to be a light by serving and ministering to both the physical and spiritual needs of the people in Eastern Tennessee and the Appalachian Mountains.

Please consider becoming a Ministry Partner. Together we can bring hope to the hopeless and light into darkness. I ask that you count your blessings, remember those who are less fortunate and to prayerfully consider becoming a Ministry Partner to help us take back what is rightfully property of the Kingdom of God's. We need you and Gods people need you. (CLICK HERE) for more information.