Encouragement for Stressed-Out Voters: God’s Purposes will Continue

When Jesus was on the earth, government leaders often stood in opposition to him. In Luke 13:31, it says, “At that very hour some Pharisees came and said to him, “Get away from here, for Herod wants to kill you.” The leader of that local government, Herod, was a wicked and selfish man who was known for killing people who opposed him. However, when Jesus heard that Herod wanted to kill Him, He wasn’t at all affected. In fact, Jesus didn’t worry about Herod during His ministry on earth.

In Luke 13:32b-33, Jesus says, “Go and tell that fox, ‘Behold, I cast out demons and perform cures today and tomorrow, and the third day I finish my course.’” After Jesus said these words, He moved on to His greater concern. Jesus was concerned with the hearts of the people. People in Jesus’ day were ignoring God. Jesus was resolved to fix the separation between God and man.

Reconciliation with God is the central theme of the New Testament. “Peace on earth” is not our biggest need. Mankind’s biggest need is to have “Peace with God.” Jesus came to give us the ability to restore our relationship with God. We must come to terms with the gospel to have everlasting peace with God.

Threats from the government didn’t distract Jesus from His primary mission. In the last part of Luke 13:33, Jesus said, “I will finish my course.” God’s plan will move forward in spite of who sits in the White House, in the Senate, or on the City Council.

In His day, Jesus was fully confident that God was in control, not Herod.
In our day, we can be fully assured that God is in control, not our governing officials.

There is nothing the president can do to slow down God’s resolve. In fact, our new president will be woven into the framework of God’s sovereignty and used as a tool to complete His unfolding purposes in our generation. We don’t need to get stressed out over leaders who are inadequate or even hostile. In these troubled times, we can trust our awesome and powerful God.

– Pastor Mark

About the Author: Mark Stafford

Pastor Mark Stafford served on staff at Canyon Bible Church of Prescott Valley for almost 6 years. He and his wife, Lara, felt called to church planting and Canyon of Prescott Valley sent them to plant a new Canyon Bible Church in the Verde Valley. Mark is a graduate of the Biblical Studies department at Arizona Christian University with highest honors and has served for more than a dozen years in full-time pastoral ministry. Mark loves music and is an active musician playing electric and string bass, acoustic and electric guitar, & keyboard. He has served with several professional Christian touring groups and has been nominated for a Dove award. Pastor Mark is currently bi-vocational while he plants Canyon Verde. He owns a small printing and design company called Ablaze Media. When he is not preaching, leading small groups, playing music or designing graphics, you might find him in his F250 cruising around the back roads of the local national forests, cycling with his sons on the streets around the Verde Valley, or running in a 10K. Pastor Mark and Lara have 4 children and have been married for over 15 years.