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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=navy face=Georgia><span style='font-size:
12.0pt;font-family:Georgia;color:navy'>Many of us have commented on our support
for public education. An additional encouragement to vote for the levy is
found in the following exhortation. As unbelievable as it sounds, if the
levy fails Doug Wilson and his followers will view it as a reward from God, and
a divine endorsement of their point of view.</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=navy face=Georgia><span style='font-size:
12.0pt;font-family:Georgia;color:navy'>Rose</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=navy face=Georgia><span style='font-size:
12.0pt;font-family:Georgia;color:navy'> </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=navy face=Georgia><span style='font-size:
12.0pt;font-family:Georgia;color:navy'>From Blog and Mablog - http://dougwils.com/</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><font size=4 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:13.5pt;font-weight:bold'>Gladness or Gloating</span></font></b><br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>Topic: </span></b>Exhortation</p>
<p><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>I said
last week that this was the last of our exhortations on civic affairs, at least
for a while, but I was off by one week. There is one other set of comments that
needs to be made.</span></font></p>
<p><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>First, it
would be wrong of us to let this election pass by without giving thanks to God
publicly. Those in our community who had specialized in harassing our
ministries received a significant set-back, for which we thank God. </span></font></p>
<p><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>The
second is to commend you as a congregation for your strong presence in this
last election. It was extremely gratifying to see your involvement. When Nancy
and I went to the polls, I was astonished at how many of our friends we saw
there—quite unlike previous elections. That sort of thing makes a difference.</span></font></p>
<p><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>Third,
all the exhortations about service and sacrifice were not window-dressing. It
is important for us to be willing to give ourselves away, and as this new
situation creates opportunities to do so, let us do so gladly.</span></font></p>
<p><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>Fourth,
don’t gloat—be glad. Gladness is not gloating, and vice versa.
Scripture tells us that when God intervenes on our behalf, and our adversary is
struggling, a good way to get God to stay His hand is for us to starting
gloating. Relief and thanks to God are most fitting. <i><span style='font-style:
italic'>Neener-neener</span></i> is never fitting.</span></font></p>
<p><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>And last,
as Shasta discovered in <i><span style='font-style:italic'>The Horse and His
Boy</span></i>, when you do something right, your usual reward is to be given
another task, one probably more difficult. I say this because there is <i><span
style='font-style:italic'>another</span></i> election just two days from
now—a public school levy election. As before, we are not telling you how
to vote, just that you have this opportunity before you, and this opportunity,
like all of them, brings responsibility with it.</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=navy face=Georgia><span style='font-size:
12.0pt;font-family:Georgia;color:navy'> </span></font></p>
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