What if His people prayed
And those who bear His name
Would humbly seek His face
And turn from their own way
And what would happen if we prayed
For those raised up to lead the way
Then maybe kids in school could pray
And unborn children see light of day
What if the life that we pursue
Came from a hunger for the truth
What if the family turned to Jesus
Stopped asking Oprah what to do
~~Casting Crown's "What if His People Prayed"
Last night, for as long as I could be, I was glued to the tv screen. We all know it was Super Tuesday. I found myself being envious of those who could be a part of the whole process, while I had to sit and watch. (My Republican primary isn't until May.) What I beheld amazed me.
I was surprised at the showing of Mike Huckabee. I have had a doubt every now and then about him, but it you asked me who would I vote for, I would say him. He appears to stand for the things I do. But electibility.....that's a whole different story! But last night, the Lord showed me that anything is possible. I watched as Gov. Huckabee took Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, West Virginia....and the political gurus couldn't explain it. However, I know someone who can....
In 2 Chronicles 7:14, we read, "If my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from Heaven and will heal their land." Whether or not you go as far as my family does by saying our country is about to be inflicted with God's judgment, perhaps you will agree that revival is needed desperately in this wonderful nation. I have felt this for several years and every day, you can find my prayers having the United States mentioned in them. I ask that a godly leader would rise up and honor God in leadership.
Gov. Huckabee is not perfect, but God also says He will honor those who honor him. When I watch Mike on tv, I find him being respectful....even to the point of getting shouted down by Gov. Romney =) Perhaps there is more to the Huckabee campaign than we realize or can see at this point. After all, "it isn't the size of the dog in the fight; it's the size of the fight in the dog." (Dwight D. Eisenhower said that, but more in my memory, Thom Brennamen regarding the Boise State Broncos 2007 Fiesta Bowl appearance. :-)
I happen to pick underdogs. Golly, my family was one of the few who rooted for Eli Manning and the New York Giants to beat Tom Brady's undefeated New England Patriots in the Super Bowl. (Don't worry, we don't watch commericals or half time!) No one said the little guy could do it, but they did. The same can be true of politics. If God wants Gov. Huckabee, there is no stopping Him! A little prayer can go a long way!
Note~~This post is not to argue about which candidate you/your family likes for president. I would enjoy knowing your thoughts....but don't think about leaving a rude comment. Mom is my moderator!~~
21 comments:
Two words for border control- Chuck Norris. Go Huckabee is all I can say. He would definitaly have my vote if I were old enough. I guess I'd be old enough to re-elect him in 2012! =D My sister, Morgan, can't wait to vote in our primaries in March. I told her I want to make a sign that says "Honk For Huck" and put it by the road. What do you think? Olivia
My mom is a super Giants fan, and even though my dad and I are true Philadelphia Eagles fans, we were rooting for the Giants to win on Sunday. :-)
I am so happy for them...and about Tom Brady and his Patriots..well, there is always next year. ;-)
You're right, Huckabee did do better then expected. McCain got tons more delegates, however. But yes, it's encouraging to see how Huckabee stands strong in his faith and honors God!
Hi Ella,
I've been reading your blog for a while, but I don't think I've commented before!
I'm glad to hear there's someone who does have some doubts about Huckabee...I was beginning to feel I was the only one who didn't think he's just heaven-sent and perfect! :) And all things considered, it's sounding like he might be the best candidate to vote for...if it counts any by the time our primary comes. I think ours is in May too, and usually things are pretty much decided by then.
By the way, I hope I didn't offend anyone by saying that...that certainly wasn't my purpose! Mainly I don't mind a whole lot who wins as long as it isn't Hilary Clinton! ;) Whoever wins, it will be God's will, and He is in control of the whole thing.
Oh, and Ella, you answered my question...I was wondering if anyone wanted the Giants to win! Everyone I know wanted the Patriots to win! :D I didn't really care, as I'm not interested in football, but I still had to hear about it from everybody. :)
Oh how true your statements are. We truly need a Godly man to lead our Nation. Great post. I prowd to see that you gave the proper recognition to Dwight for his statement. We know that this Nation would be a better place if it turned from its wicked ways and saught after the Lord. Keep up your great posts.....It makes me proud. Love Dad
Olivia, Don't worry....perhaps you will get to vote for Huckabee in2012! We shall see. God idea for the sign!
Neesie, actually I hope the Patriots won't be around next year. They win too much!! But I am glad to know that I wasn't the only one for the underdog.
Anna, I know McCain got more delegates. Truth be told, I wouldn't be surprised if he chose Huckabee for Vice President.
Natalie, so glad that you commented not. No, I was not offended by you in the least. You are right, however is elected is who God ordains....which can be a scary thought if you think about it! However, even though I have a tiny struggle with Huckabee, that won't stop my voting for him. AS you sports, I will admit I enjoy watching them...though the outcome doesn't affect me!
Dad, you are right. A godly man certainly needs to rise up. Oh, and if I didn't give credit to Dwight, Mom wouldn't have been to pleased. I am glad you like my posts. Love you!
Yes Ella,
Only members of either our church, or members currently of another Bible-believeing church are allowed to partake. Because I haven't been baptised yet or taken into the membership I am not allowed to partake in it.
Btw, how is your church "hunt" going?
Ella,
The interesting thing that I've learned during this election is that there's a downside to living in a republic. Because we live in a republic, the desires of our leaders will reflect the desires of the people, and I think that our nation needs to seriously reevaluate its humanist, Darwinian ideology, and return to the Biblical pattern for life and government, and that it is imperative that this change happen in the hearts of the masses before we can expect culture-changing leaders.
Still, our sovereign Lord creates the means of change as well as the ends, :) and I plan to vote in November (I'll not be "voting age" in time for the Texas primary :( for the under (under, under, under) dog, Ron Paul, Lord willing.
I enjoy reading your blog. :)
Soli Deo Gloria,
Jasmine
Jasmine, I am extremely glad that you like my blog. You are right, hearts need to be changed before everything else. And while I can struggle with Ron Paul, I also can appreciate a few of his ideals. Whether or not people agree on a particular candidate, we all need to vote our consciences!
Dear Ella,
I certainly agree! There are no perfect candidates out there, but I do admire people like you who encourage (and remind :) people that it is SO IMPORTANT to vote! The only wasted vote is the one that isn't cast! :)
(I'm not sure that's proper grammar :)
Warmly,
Jasmine
may I ask what you think of President Bush's current situation and his success/failure as the president? I'm not talking about 9/11 - we all know he did an amazing job. I'm talking about with the war on terror right now, our economy, etc. Just because you are a Christian doesn't mean you are always you a better leader of a nation. Look at Jimmy Carter, one of the most famous layman of the Southern Baptist, whose presidency was marked with crisis and failure. We do not want to see that all over again. Our president needs experience, and I'm just not quite convinced yet that Huckabee has that.
Jasmine, I do have a problem when people do not vote....however, I think we have a greater responsibility to vote our conscience. But I am passionate about taling politics, so!
Kristie, I will not deny President Bush has been sort of a let down. I do like the guy, and I believe he has done some good things (appointing conservative Supreme Court justices and vetoing stem cell bills.) However, even knowing what I know now, I would still vote for the man. To me, experience pales in comparison to living a life for Christ. President Bush and yes, Mike Huckabee, strike me as men who care about the "heart" of an issue and its moral (or lack thereof) reasoning. The Lord says that those who honor me, He will honor. So, if Mike were to be elected, I can only believe that God would enable him to do an adequate job. Moses wasn't that great of a speaker (he said so himself) but God used him in amazing ways to lead the Jews from Israel. King David was only a shepherd, and yet he ruled Israel through a time of great properity. I believe the same can happen today!
Ella,
I agree with you. My "voting" comment was more in response to people who didn't think Huckabee was "electable" and therefore thought that a vote for him was a vote for McCain (the same with Ron Paul). I think it's more important to vote according to conscience than it is to vote for the lesser of two evils.
I would never advocate for anyone voting for someone who they found morally repugnant; nor would I advocate someone lazily lying back and letting the political world pass them by -this *is* our country! :) There is an important balance to strike, to be sure, and I'm glad for candidates like Huckabee who make that balance a little easier.
Warmly,
Jasmine
Ps. As you can probably tell, I, too, love talking about politics, particularly political science. :)
You bring up King David as a great leader, but do you realize that he failed miserably as a father? God calls us to put family before country. Here's some points for you to consider:
The pressures of being king; the weight of his responsibility toward God¹s people; the constant attention given to God¹s anointed; all of these were added distractions from a father¹s thoughts. But they served as no real comfort when the force of his failure was thrust upon him. On the death of Absalom, remembering all of the neglected opportunities of being a father, the words that came from David¹s heart were bitter, sorrowful and regretful. "O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! would God I had died for thee, O Absalom, my son, my son!," 2 Samuel 18:33. Regret is a bitter pill to swallow. Note the obvious mistakes of David:
1. He began by making marriages with many women. Polygamy was never approved by God, but it was a common practice, even among God¹s people. Just a glance at the divisive nature of a family in which there are multiple wives/mothers is a strong rebuke to the practice. From the beginning, God decreed, "let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband," 1 Corinthians 7:2. Rivalry between children is natural, but rivalry between mothers was fatal to David.
2. He was distracted by his work as ruler of Israel. Every father will have distractions, for life has many facets. But no task is more arduous than that of a parent, and sufficient time must be set aside for that work. Too many fathers turn over the duties of rearing children to their mother. Even if she has the time to do so, she can never be father and mother; it takes both. While David was "being king," his own children were assaulting, murdering one another. Need I say more?
3. He did not provide appropriate discipline. In 2 Samuel 13, Amnon (David¹s son by Ahinoam) assaulted Tamar (David¹s daughter by Maacah). From the text it appears that David did nothing in the way of discipline. It is Tamar's brother Absolom who comes to her aid but seeks justice through murdering Amnon. In addition to the fact that discipline was demanded for such evil behavior, its absence was cause for Absalom¹s vengeance, and that resulted in his exile and eventually his death in 2 Samuel 18.
Painful as it may be, fathers have an obligation to "Chasten thy son while there is hope, and let not thy soul spare for his crying," Proverbs 19:18. Failure to do so results in even deeper heartache.
4. He failed to provide a good example as a husband and a father. The oft-told narrative of David¹s adulterous affair with Bathsheba is the life Absalom grew up with and remembered. The news of their sin was widespread. The entire nation, as well as the enemies of Jehovah, were aware of David¹s sinful actions. They were not and could not be swept under the rug. How could a young man like Absalom grow to manhood with the scandal of his father hovering over his head without it affecting his life? The lives of modern personalities show similar effects on their children. [Consider the sons of many Hollywood actors whose dallying with other men¹s wives is so well known.] Fathers must provide a good example for their sons and daughters concerning personal and social relationships.
5. He could not admit that he was wrong. This inability to say "I¹m sorry" seems to be a common trait among males. Even after Absalom returned from his exile, it was not in David¹s character to speak to him as a father to his son. For all practical purposes, Absalom could have stayed in Geshur. David got even with him, all right, but it was a costly vengeance. It cost Absalom his life, and it cost David his family and his influence in Israel.
Fathers have a powerful impact upon their sons and their daughters. Of course, children can stray away from the training of even the most dedicated parents. But this can be limited by fathers who are willing to set a good example; who provide the discipline each child needs; who maintain a home in which God¹s will is honored; who take the time needed to be a godly father; and by fathers who are willing to admit their own weaknesses. David¹s tragic mistakes as a father speak volumes today and shows that just because someone may be called as a great leader, they can still fail to be a great father - which is a higher calling than that of serving your nation.
Jasmine, I really wish you had a blog, I would love to read your thoughts on political science. Even though we do not agree on candidates, we share the same mindset, if that makes sense. Currently, I keep hoping Huckabee (sorry, because I know that means no Paul) will do something amazing. I am not sure what I will do if it became either Clinton or Obama against McCain...even if Huckabee were to be the vice president. I mean, I like McCain, but his voting record means more to me. It sounds terrible, but I think I would end up voting in every other category except president! What about you?
Kristie, I never said that King David was a good father. In fact, most of the men in the Bible are not, and that is a sad fact that we need to face. However, it makes it all the more a testimony of the Lord's goodness that He still chooses to use sinful men to achieve His ends and His purposes. The same is true of us!
I agree with all you said about David. However, that isn't the issue here. My post was on ordinary people, with little experience, being used for God's glory. To me, honoring the Lord is far more important than having all the PHDs, the knowledge, in the world. I do not believe we are to put a career above the Lord and the first calling He has given us (that of being mothers and fathers.) That is just a different post for a different time.
I do not wish to begin an argument with you, or anyone for that matter. I understand that people do not share my opinions. However, a blog isn't the place to debate, unless it is with respect and the ability to agree to disagree.
I have the ability to agree to disagree. I was just simply showing how a man called of God to be a great leader is not exactly the example that men need to follow today. the example to follow is Christ.
I know what you mean! I'm really hoping Huckabee will surprise the US -I really am. I am not a fan of McCain's democratic voting record, or his liberal stances, and I think Huckabee is the last chance we have for a truly conservative Republican candidate.
As far as November's vote goes, Republicans could do *no better* than Mike Huckabee -I truly believe that!
I'm just a bit of a revolutionary (like my dad), and we're both die-hard Paul people -his political worldview is *so close* to ours. But realistically, Huckabee is such a great candidate.
Warmly,
Jasmine
Ps. I *love* reading the blogs of likeminded young ladies. It's so pleasing to see a fellow young woman who's done her political homework!
Oh, yeah. My comment might make more sense if I say I hope Paul runs independent. :)
Kristie, King David was appointed by God to rule Israel. The Lord knew he was a sinful, fallen man -as all men are -but he used him in spite of his weaknesses.
No leader is perfect -King David is an excellent example. But the Bible still tells us he was a man after God's own heart. I think one would be hard pressed to find a righteous Biblical figure that *didn't* struggle with sin, even leader like Moses and Abraham.
Warmly,
Jasmine
Kristie, I do thank you for your comments. They made me think. I do agree with you, just so you'll know.
Jasmine, hate to break it to you, but I read an article that stated Paul said he will not run as a third party. I must say I was relieved. Especially in this election, I think it would be a shoe in for eith Sen. Clinon or Sen. Obama. I probably drive people crazy with how much I like politics! =P Every time thee is a primary, I watch the news and then check the computer every two hours...until bed time danws. Then, I have Mom check as soon as she can while I am in the shower. I find the whole thing fascinating!
Ella,
I know it! I hold out vain hope, you see. :) I've been a Paul fan for a long, long time, but his policies aren't very popular, to be sure.
Politics is *extremely* fascinating, yes. :) Huckabee is a wonderful candidate. I have to admit that one of the only reasons I ever bring Paul up is to strike up interesting political conversations! :) It's been great fun conversing with you.
Warmly,
Jasmine
Jasmine - I've always loved how Paul lines up with my beliefs on issues as well! It's too bad he won't run as an independent. He actually just spoke at my college, Liberty University. Huckabee spoke 2 months ago and the students spoke up and pushed administration to get Ron Paul to come. I'm amazed that it actually worked!
Ella, all that information about david really makes me think too. I thought I knew everything about him till we did a study at church on his life. I LOVE that God always has something new for us to discover and ponder.
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