The best of times and the worst of times, too often they bring out the worst of us. I have pondered a great deal the impact of this years election. I have spoken with many people to include those in ministry that may or may not have a different view than others who are simply just angry and desperate for change. It seems that while many people are paying attention (which is a good thing) the attitudes are varying with regard to the impact it will have. The overwhelming consensus within the church is that God is in control. I wonder though if this attitude is nothing more than a cop out because we simply don’t know what the proper response should be. The fact is that if God is in control now, then surely he was in control when those who were oppressed by the crown in Britain took to the high seas in search of freedom, and certainly God was in control when that great declaration of independence was signed setting off a revolutionary war and that inevitable shot heard round the world.

Strangely enough it seems that we are now facing the same level of corruption and once again it is coming from within our own government. The oppression is beginning to flesh itself out in the many policies that have been introduced by a tyrannical government that likewise intimidates anyone that might oppose such action into silence. Perhaps the feelings are best represented by the idea that there is a force which cannot be stopped and therefore there is no rationality that would suggest we try. That force being the fulfillment of Gods Word with regard to end times, or perhaps we have come to understand that our responsibility is to coexist, a hallmark of the progressive movement. Surely there is some evidence that scripture would suggest as much. But how then do we harmonize the blessing of God on a nation that revolted in times past. The general consensus at the time was that to resist tyranny was obedience to God.

Surely there is evidence of tyranny in our day, some might argue that our government has never been more tyrannical than it is today. How then should we respond? That is the million dollar question. Certainly in an effort to move toward globalization the influence of America has been reduced to a smoldering pile of ashes. Whether this was intentional or not is besides the point. What matters is that here, in America, we understand the value of freedom, the value of self-rule, a government of the people, by the people, and for the people. As it stands now our government has ceased to be represented by the people, no longer does it have our best interest at heart. Instead we are ruled by those who have agendas, bought and paid for by special interests groups and lobbyists that determine everything from policy to legislation to enforcement. This is all becoming more and more clear with the constant barrage of emails being leaked and made available for the general public to read. Emails that if the media had their way, the public would never have been allowed to access. CNN over the weekend even suggested that Americans who access these emails may in fact be breaking the law. Really? The only logical conclusion that can be reached as to why they would suggest something so ridiculous, is that they too are guilty of the same level of corruption as our government. The two (media and government) are working to together to influence the American voter into blindly following them into the abyss of a post modern world.

In evaluating the current crop of candidates it becomes more and more apparent that one is clearly more competent than other. Their knowledge of government is vast, their ability to maneuver and make things happen is supreme, their influence can be felt before even walking into the room. The problem is that while she may be far more competent as a politician, she is corrupt, and therefore cannot be trusted to consider the best interest of those she would claim to represent. On the other hand we have another candidate who likewise is far from perfect but has no record as a politician. A billionaire land mogul who claims to represent the people of this great nation. Yet, most Americans cannot fathom his wealth nor could we begin to comprehend the magnitude of dirty business practices that have allowed him to acquire such wealth. The man himself has all but proven his sleazy and chauvinistic character. Is that enough however for us to suggest that he is not qualified to run this country? Surely he has run his businesses well enough that if the measure of success were wealth, he would be a the top of that list, sharing the space with the likes of Warren Buffet, Mark Cuban, Zuckerberg, Musk, Soros, and so many others. Is vast amounts of wealth a disqualifying factor or just the means by which it is was obtained?

The hard truth is that we are stuck with one or the other, lest we should rise up against them both. The possibility of the American people rising up against its government is not likely to be realized. Therefore we must choose the candidate that will chart the course of this nation for the next 4 years. Where that course leads matters a great deal. It matters to me simply due to my posterity and likewise that of others. It matters to me because for the better part of our nations history we have been a beacon of hope to all nations and to all peoples that yearn for freedom and the possibilities that exist under the umbrella of a free and fair republic…possibilities to be great. That greatness is being exchanged for mediocrity, because in a world of globalization there cannot be a standard of excellence that others aspire to. No, in the post-modern world we live in today, everyone gets a trophy. It matters to me because that exchange will be completed in the next for years and we will have effectively entered into a time when the institutions that have made this country what it is can no longer be saved. We must decide then to chart a new course that will lead us back to a free and fair society. The voyage will be fraught with danger, but it may in fact be our only hope of saving this once great Republic.