[Darris McNeely] America’s long campaign for the Presidency has come to a conclusion. Last night, Donald Trump was elected the forty-fifth president of the United States, and on the next January 20th, 2017, he will be sworn in on the steps of the United States Capitol. It was a long, it was a bitter, it was a hard-fought campaign against Hillary Clinton, and Mr. Trump has prevailed. The Republican Party has also retained control of the House and the Senate. It’s going to be an interesting four years. It’s already a very interesting period for the United States as many people, even at this moment, are adapting and adjusting to the news and the reality of what has happened. For many, it was a total surprise and a shock, but it for others was not.

Now, Mr. Trump is going to be facing a very divided country – as I said, it was a bitter campaign, bringing out a lot of the deep divisions in America – between people, between classes of people, even between races. And so the next president is going to have his work cut out on a lot of domestic and social issues, economic issues that are facing the United States, and with debt, with division, with mistrust – and so he’ll have a lot of challenges. And it is going to not be an easy road for him. He has made certain promises, as all presidential candidates do, and so time will tell how he governs, time will tell what he’s able to do. A lot will depend upon the people that he places around him in his cabinet and other key positions in the government, but America is in for a change.

Mr. Trump will also, when he becomes president, face a number of other challenges from foreign nations. Hostility has developed in recent years from places like Russia, China, North Korea, Iran, and no doubt they are waiting to test the character and the mettle of the next president. And so that area is going to see some major challenges, as well, from all other nations.

Here on Beyond Today, we have been going through some personal appearance campaigns emphasizing a theme that for America, the time is now. With many of the social, economic, and political issues that are facing the United States and where it is in world history at this time, we strongly believe that we are at a period of historical turning point for not only America, but for the world. But we have been taking a message about America, for America, having an opportunity to turn to God, to repent, to change, to acknowledge certain fundamental problems, and to turn back to God in repentance. And so with this election now come to a close, and with the outcome of it, it raises the question for myself and for others certainly: is there an opportunity – is this a moment – for America and for other nations to take stock of themselves and have an opportunity to turn to God in repentance? Certainly, that is there. Will that happen? Time will tell. What should you do? What should be our approach? Well, the attitude and the approach that we have here on Beyond Today, and we encourage you to do, is to pray. Pray for America, pray for your nation, pray for this world, and certainly pray for the American president.

The Bible tells us that kings and leaders are not set up or taken down or removed without the hand of God being involved in that.  I have no question, I have no doubt, that God has been involved in this process for His purpose, for His plan – not for the plan and purpose of any political ideology or for you or for me, but because of His purpose and His plan. God is the god of history, and God determines the course of nations, especially the great nations of this world, and America is still a very powerful, influential, and great nation, and has a very key prophetic and historical role yet to play in this world according to God’s purpose and plan. And so, I encourage you to do what the apostle Paul said to the church in his day, and it applies to us today. It’s in 1 Timothy 2:1-4. The apostle Paul writes this: “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.” So Paul encouraged his audience and God encourages you and I today to pray for leaders and for all in authority, that we might be able to live a peaceable life and that, as we would apply that today, that we might be able to preach in safety and with the freedoms guaranteed to us, the Bible and the word of God and God’s message for all people and all nations at this critical time. In verse 3 he said, “For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.”

I have to ask myself and leave you with this question: is this still a moment and an opportunity for America – for the world, for all, for any who hear the true gospel – to respond and to come to know God and His Son Jesus Christ whom He has sent? Is there a moment and is there an opportunity to turn to God? This nation needs that. This world needs that. So pray – pray as you never have done before, on your knees, for the new American president – for all in authority – and pray, “Thy kingdom come”.

That’s BT Daily. Join us next time.