The poll that mattered!

So, with the final count giving a good majority to the Brexiteers, we may expect that, over the next 24 months, we will see the links with the EU broken - one by one. Reading some of the comments on social media, it would appear that some do not realise is that all that has happened is that a referendum of the British people (the referendum was NOT an individual country/province affair!) has resulted in the clear message that the majority want the UK to LEAVE the EU.  We have not yet done so!

What is interesting, however, is the way in which some of those who were the bearers of doom-laden messages in the campaign running up to the referendum - and I think of the current incumbent of The White House; certain of the so-called "captains of industry; and even certain bankers - are already changing their tunes in the light of yesterday morning's announced result.  I also notice that WW III has not commenced, that the sky has not fallen in, and that, "before the ink was dry", non-EU countries were already making overtures with regard to trade deals! Perhaps Brexit won't be as bad as the "Remainers" tried to make us believe it would be!

I confess to having been a wee bit apprehensive.  I was aware that the result could be very closely run, but was concerned that the "In" vote would just outstrip the "Leave" vote.  However, as my final pre-referendum post indicated, I knew that Almighty God was not about to be caught out!  He Who, from His eternal perspective, sees all of time simultaneously, could 'see' that result even 'before' the EU was formed!

This, of course, is the bottom line for the person of Biblical faith.  We serve the Sovereign God Who is the Creator of all that exists, and Who knows the very heart of man better than we do ourselves. He is the One Who, as the hymn-writer put it "... is working His purpose out, as year succeeds to year." (A.C.Ainger).  The old cliché was: "I don't know what the future holds, but I know Who holds the future"! There's a lot of truth in that!  It could be a very interesting two years (if the Rapture is delayed that long!), but for the disciple of Jesus, there is nothing to fear.

Look to the past - for a glimpse of the future!

So the Conservative Party Conference has ended.  And what a rousing (undoubtedly prepared by others!) speech from the leader of the Party!  How well he spoke to his audience (the old words "preaching to the choir" came to mind!); how convincing he must have been to many of the electorate.  However, he did make, in my opinion, one major faux pas.  In the context of the renegotiations that he expects to be conducting with the EU, after the May General Election, and speaking to those who expect little, or nothing, to come of them, he declared: "To anyone who thinks I can't, or won't, deliver this I will say, 'Judge me by my record'!"

It may be unfortunate for Mr Cameron, but I believe that that is exactly what great numbers of the British electorate are already doing!  It's not a record that would, even politically, engender any confidence at all in the Prime Minister's negotiating, or any other, skills.  He promised - indeed, gave a "cast-iron guarantee" of - a referendum on the Lisbon Treaty; but dropped it like the proverbial hot potato as soon as he gained office, and imposed a three-line whip to stop an EU referendum bill. He promised that, under his coalition government, net immigration to this island nation would be reduced to tens of thousands.  We are now paying France to try to stop illegal ''economic migrants" from entering the UK.  Please note, I am not in any way against the provision of asylum (sanctuary) for those who are genuinely in fear of their lives.  But far too many of those who come to the UK do so, not because they require a place of safety - that should be the first safe country they enter, not the one to which they travel through at least two other safe countries! - but because we provide them with the most generous benefits!  A legal 'marriage' service may now be held between two persons of the same gender - and the PM has even stated that he wants to export this deviance around the world - "Judge me by my record"?  Not a good idea, Mr Cameron - from your perspective!

Of course, not everyone is like the current holder of the office of Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.   I am a fan of one particular make-up of The Gaither Vocal Band - Mark Lowry, Guy Penrod, David Phelps and, of course, Bill Gaither.  In one of their recorded songs is this chorus: "But now, more than ever, I sit at the cross; more than ever, I sit at His feet.  The days of my journey have proved my Lord true, and He is so precious to me."  I love those words "The days of my journey have proved my Lord true."  They're a reminder that the Lord can be trusted - absolutely.  I have proved Him so often in the past; I know that I can trust Him for the present, and the future.  His is a record that stands up to to the closest of scrutinies.  He is totally dependable.  As the writer of the Letter to Hebrew disciples of Jesus wrote: "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and for ever." (Heb 13:8).

One of the Psalmists summed it up nicely when he penned these words: "Put not your trust in princes, in a son of man, in whom there is no help. ... ... Happy is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in YHWH his God, ..." (Ps 146:3, 5).

Exactly what the Conservative Party, if returned to government in May, will produce can still only be the subject of speculation.  The dependability of Almighty God, especially for those who are His adopted children, justified through His grace and through the atoning sacrifice of the Lord Jesus, at Calvary, is certain.  Hallelujah!

dropped it like a hot potato as soon as he gained office, telling the whips office to form a 3 line whip to stop an EU referendum bill.

"Anyone who thinks I can't or won't deliver this, I will say 'judge me by my record".

"Anyone who thinks I can't or won't deliver this, I will say 'judge me by my record".

"Anyone who thinks I can't or won't deliver this, I will say 'judge me by my record".

"Anyone who thinks I can't or won't deliver this, I will say 'judge me by my record".

"Anyone who thinks I can't or won't deliver this, I will say 'judge me by my record".