Before you react to Tuesday...

Hey Friends…
 
I bet you’re ready for this coming week to be over. The anticipation and anxiety in our society is palpable as we face a sharply divided and anger-laden election this Tuesday. Even after Tuesday, clarity on the outcome may be painfully uncertain. My hope is that you have already moved well beyond anxiety and that you are truly resting in the Lord. But I need to share with you a very powerful word from God that He has given to me, for us, for Tuesday. I’ll tell you more in Deeper Thoughts below…
 
But first… before you react to Tuesday…
 
·      Will you sign up to seek God’s power and direction together with us as we search out His will for Mt. Hope’s future? Click here to grab one or more 30-minute slots during our 24-hour prayer vigil NEXT Saturday / Sunday, November 9 – November 10 to cover our church in bold prayer. We’ll provide guided ideas on what and how to pray.
 
·      Then, don’t miss a mighty prayer meeting and worship night, NEXT Sunday, November 10 at 5:00 p.m.
 
·      Don’t forget “The Daily Six”, our 6-minute video released every Monday through Thursday as we study through the Book of Acts together. Click here to sign up for daily reminder emails—or you can just find the videos on our YouTube channel each morning.
 
·      Pray today and tomorrow for your Mt. Hope Elder Team as we are away on a three-day strategy and prayer retreat (Thursday - Saturday). We will be praying over each and every one of you by name, seeking God’s wisdom for your needs and growth in Jesus. We’ll be listening to God and crafting some important next steps for our ministries and our church family. We can’t wait to share with you what God shares with us!
 
·      Be sure to turn your clocks back Saturday night. You get an extra hour of sleep as Daylight Savings Time ends!! OR… don’t set your clocks back and just accidentally show up early and find yourself in our weekly prayer meeting Sunday morning, 9:15 a.m. in the sanctuary!
 
OK…that’s it today for you email skimmers and those who haven’t heard what’s happening on Tuesday. BUT…
 
 
Some Deeper Thoughts…
 
God has revealed a fresh word for you and me. It comes directly from the scriptures. It is encouraging.
 
I am super-excited to share it with you. But I imagine you’re super-weary of discussing anything near this topic. The name calling, negativity, fear, anger, threats… it is all terribly exhausting, don’t you think?
 
I am sensitive to this, and I truly do not want to belabor a subject many of us wish would simply go away. But we possess a tremendously different--and hopeful—angle. In Jesus, we can turn our attention away from anger and towards the joy, peace, wisdom, and unity of the Holy Spirit that is available to us.
 
I trust you’ve heard my heart over and over again that we do not place our hope in political matters. Our hope is not in the kingdom of this world, including this great nation we cherish. Our hope is in the Kingdom of Heaven. Period.
 
But neither should we place our fears in political matters. The Lord God Almighty is the one we should fear, not [insert name of your political nemesis]. Period.
 
And yet, politicians and pundits on both sides of the aisle declare with fevered pitch the existential danger to our society that their political opponents represent. For those of us who are politically active and engaged, we might even buy into the possibility that our chosen side is correct—that if the other man/woman wins, there is a real danger to our financial, social, and political wellbeing.
 
But is this how God sees things?
 
Slow down.
 
Are you sure?
 
Something is going to happen on Tuesday. It is likely one of three things: 1) Your preferred candidate wins in an indisputable, clear outcome; 2) The other candidate wins in the same way; 3) Neither candidate is a clear winner, and our nation drags on into a protracted debate--and perhaps even civil unrest—about who has truly been selected. Only one of those options will offer you an easy out from anxiety. But if that occurs, your friends and loved ones who vote the opposite will not be so anxiety-free.
 
Several weeks ago, the Lord led me to stumble across a passage in the Old Testament that has a perfectly precise and immediate parallel to our situation. Oh, friends… you’ve got to read this passage and stand in it as we process whatever emotions we experience Tuesday night and the days following! Most importantly, this text of scripture needs to redirect and reframe how we see Tuesday’s outcome, how we interpret its meaning and impact to us, and how we choose to feel about whatever is ahead of us.
 
Have I mentioned that I cannot wait to share this with you?
 
I’m not going to tell you the text of scripture today. You need to come out on Sunday and let’s study it together. Come in-person… do not make this a “I’ll stay at home and watch the service online” weekend (unless, of course, you’re out of town or sick in bed… then join us online!!).
 
Here’s why “in-person” is super-important this week: We need the full experience of “together” with one another and with the Holy Spirit to properly center our response. This is not merely an intellectual exercise to hear a good teaching from Pastor Chris. That you can get on the internet. But we need the full experience of the Body of Christ to properly frame our worldview… in togetherness (see Acts 2:42-47).
 
And that only happens in-person.
 
I sat Wednesday night with our worship team as they prepared. It was powerful. The Holy Spirit has led them to craft a very moving and encouraging worship experience for us. You will meet with God. Our Elders will be coming home from a three-day prayer and planning session filled with the joy of what God has in front of us. They will be eager to share. Our love for one another and the joy of seeing each other will warm our hearts. This will center us. This is the Kingdom of Heaven to which we belong. This is our hope.
 
I’m not going to spill the beans on the scripture God has revealed so that we can all experience it together this Sunday.
 
(For those of you who like to use this Friday email to get your mind prepared in advance, I’ll send you somewhere that’s a little out of the ordinary… to read another blog from a dear friend of mine. My college-era buddy David Drury has had a long and dynamic career leading churches and denominational organizations, mentoring pastors and leaders, and writing compelling wisdom for all believers. This week he published a fantastic study of God’s specific commands for us as we relate to our political adversaries. It is well worth the read… click here.)
 
OK… that’s it for today. Let’s connect on Sunday in-person. God will meet us. We will be encouraged. And we will be centered.
 
I don’t know about you, but a “centered self” will be super-helpful for me this Tuesday night!
 
Much love to all…
 
Chris Eads
Mt. Hope Pastor
Friend