Christ and the Constitution, part 2: Praying for elected officials

But if that slave says in his heart, 'My master will be a long time in coming,' and begins to beat the slaves, both men and women, and to eat and drink and get drunk; the master of that slave will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know, and will cut him in pieces, and assign him a place with the unbelievers. And that slave who knew his master's will and did not get ready or act in accord with his will, will receive many lashes, but the one who did not know it, and committed deeds worthy of a flogging, will receive but few." Luke 12: 45-48 NASB

We began our study of this portion of Scripture with the unfaithful servant , then being salt and light. Yesterday, we considered Christ and the Constitution. If you missed one of them, I hope you'll follow the link (it opens in a new tab) and get caught up.

If  I am to do my Master's will, then I must know my Master's will. 

Am I doing His will if I obey in the areas I choose, but fail to do His will in areas of civic responsibility? I think not.

I understand how easy it is to be led astray in this area. There was a time when I prayed for our nation with such fervor that I spent hours face down on the floor in prayer, begging for God's mercy and leading. At some point, I gradually spent less time praying for our country. Eventually, those prayers became nothing more than a passing reference. My failure to be on guard in prayer for our nation and our leaders was sin, and I have repented. I'm praying again.

I do not have a right to complain about my leaders. 

Yes, the First Amendment to the Constitution guarantees my freedom of speech, but if I have not first spent serious time in intercession for my leaders, I should not dare to complain.  

I will answer to God for those words if I do.

Rather than hammer this point with my own words, I've gathered Scripture together.

Psalm 22:28 - For the kingdom is the Lord's and He rules over the nations.

Proverbs 21:1 - The king's heart is like channels of water in the hand of the Lord; He turns it wherever He wishes.

Jeremiah 29:7 - Seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf; for in its welfare you will have welfare.

Daniel 2:20-23 - He (God) removes kings and establishes kings...

Matthew 22:20-21 - ... Then He said to them, 'Then render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's; and to God the things that are God's."

Romans 13:1-7 - Every person is to be in subjection to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those who exist are established by God... for rulers are servants of God...

1 Timothy 2:1-4 - First of all, then I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men, for kings and all who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity...

Titus 3:1,2 - Remind them to be subject to rules, to authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good deed, to malign no one, to be peaceable, gentle, showing every consideration for all men.

1 Peter 2:13, 17 - Submit yourselves for the Lord's sake to every human institution, whether to a king as the one in authority, or to governors as sent by him....Honor all people... honor the king.

Matthew 12:36 - "But I tell you that every careless word that people speak, they shall give an accounting for it in the day of judgment."

Most of the verses above were given by God in a time of turmoil and persecution. "Seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile" was written to people who had been kidnapped by an opposing army and carried away from their homes into captivity. Paul wrote that we are to pray for those in authority despite the years he spent in chains.

Praying for those in authority is not optional. 

It's trendy for Christians to grumble about our government, our President, and our elected officials. This should not be. We of all people should be on our knees, begging God to direct the hearts of our elected officials, including our President. 

If we spent as much time praying for our president and elected officials as we do complaining about them, we would have a far different country.

Either we believe that God can both remove and establish leaders or we don't. Either we believe He can direct their hearts and decisions or we don't. Which is it? 

I am not saying that there is no room for disagreement or for protest, but mindless complaining about officials helps no one and it dishonors God.

Pray. For the sake of our nation, we must stop wasting time complaining and begin to pray like we mean it. 

Pray like God can do something about the direction of our nation. Either we believe He can, or we don't. 

I'm writing to myself as much as to anyone today. I have failed to pray as I ought. Perhaps we all have, but we must not continue to fail. Let us choose now to include our President and our elected officials in our prayers. 

Pray boldly with expectation that God will move, because He will.

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Our Father, thank You for Your wisdom in choosing the leaders we need to drive us back to You. Give our leaders wisdom and direct their hearts like channels of water. Help President Obama and our Congressional officials choose Your paths, even when it's not what they would personally want. Change our hearts and theirs. In Jesus' name, Amen.

#disciple #prayforpresidentobama #prayforamerica #intercede #JesusChrist

Sending the Seventy, part 2

Now after this the Lord appointed seventy others, and sent them in pairs ahead of Him to every city and place where He Himself was going to come. And He was saying to them, "The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest. (Luke 10:1-2 NASB)

In the previous post, we looked at the two areas of responsibility for the harvest. There are those that go to gather the harvest (the uttermost ends of the earth) and those who stay at home and pray. Those who pray and those who go make a perfect team to get the job of harvest done. 

On closer inspection, we find that Jesus' instructions about praying for the harvest were first directed to the seventy, the "sent ones". It turns out that the ones who go have a big job of intercession, as well. Why? It is not because they are somehow "better". They are not better at faith, in their Christian life, or in their prayers. It is simply much easier to pray with insight when you are "on site", isn't it? Seeing the need helps us to better understand what it will take to meet the need and gives us a better understanding of how to pray. 

This is the idea behind "prayer walking". Intercessors go to a specific town or area of a town, walk through, and pray as they walk, allowing the Holy Spirit to prompt their heart as they see the needs with their eyes. In a way, the on site sight brings greater insight. That's an awkwardly complex sentence that conveys the idea behind prayer walking. It's praying with your eyes wide open to see the needs around you. 

When Jesus sent the seventy, they were to go to the towns and villages where He was going. At that time, His going had flesh and blood restrictions. Because he was wrapped in flesh, He could not be everywhere at once. Now, because of His Holy Spirit, our omniscient, omnipresent Lord is everywhere at once. No matter where we go, He precedes us, and that means everywhere is a potential harvest field. Even if we never leave our home town, there is a harvest just waiting for those serving as the hands and feet of Jesus. Look around. There are multitudes of people who need Jesus all around us and they are waiting for those of us who know Him to make the introduction. 

In our family, we usually make a donation in honor of our family members at Christmas rather than elaborate gifts, and we will continue that tradition again this year. As I'm writing this morning, it seems that a gift of harvesting might be the one gift that would most please our Lord. Walk or drive through your town, eyes wide open to see the needs around you. As you see those needs, pray that God will send someone to meet the need. Pray for each home, each family. Pray for the homeless, the lonely, the grieving. Pray for the lost, those who are wandering from their faith, those who are wondering about faith, and those who are certain about their faith. Pray that God will send exactly who He wants to meet the need, bring the Word, provide comfort and tangible goods. Pray that He will send someone to tell the news about Jesus. Don't be surprised, though, if the one He sends is you. 

There is a harvest, and we are the ones who are called to bring it in. Open your eyes, reach our your hands, and get your feet on the ground. Someone is waiting for you to introduce them to Jesus. 

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The Recognition, part 17: transfiguration

And while He was praying, the appearance of His face became different, and His clothing became white and gleaming. And behold, two men were talking with Him; and they were Moses and Elijah, who, appearing in glory, were speaking of His departure which He was about to accomplish at Jerusalem. (Luke 9:29-31 NASB)

The entire series, The Recognition, began with a simple question. Who do you say that I am? Peter answered that Jesus was the Christ, Son of the Living God. The events that followed all pointed to the identity of Jesus in one way or another. He was the Commissioner and Equipper who sent them on their first missionary crusade, the Provider and Miracle Worker who fed the multitude. Now, He reveals Himself as Holy and Magnificent, as Divine. 

While Jesus was praying, both his face and his clothing changed. Suddenly, His face was changed and his clothes were white and gleaming. To be more precise, His clothing was more than gleaming. The word used here actually means "flashing like lightening"! What a sight to see! Scripture doesn't tell us how His face was changed but, considering the remarkable change in His clothing, His face must have been incredibly beautiful.

To make the scene even more remarkable, Jesus was joined by Moses and Elijah, also appearing in glory (lightening flashing from them). 

Selah. 

Pause and consider.

It was one of those divine moments when heaven literally came to earth and Jesus  was revealed in His true divine identity. Holy and without blemish, He was both God and man. On the mountain that day, it became clear and anyone who was awake and looking could have seen it for themselves. 

Just before Jesus was transfigured, something important was happening, and I don't want us to miss it. "While He was praying..." While Jesus was talking with God, He was radically and magnificently changed. Should we not also be radically changed by intimate communication with the Almighty? Should we not have such a change of demeanor that people notice a difference in us when we have spent time with God? 

We often speak of "mountain top experiences". I'm not sure to what most people refer, but the Transfiguration is what always comes to mind when I hear those words. An experience on the mountain-top of prayer with Jesus should leave us different, and recognizably so. 

Perhaps the reason our prayer time does not leave us visibly changed is the problem of time. Our tendency is to spend a few minutes in prayer, to say a "quick prayer" or a "little prayer". When Jesus went to pray, He often stayed all night. It was while Jesus was praying that He was changed, not when He first said He was going to pray. If we spent more time in prolonged prayer, interceding before our Father, perhaps we, too, could  experience the kind of transformation that is unmistakeable.  

What result does your time alone with God have in your life? Are you spending enough time in prayer to allow God to change and cleanse you? Transformation is not a speedy process. We must get still before the Lord and remain in an attitude of prayer long enough to allow God to do a work of transformation in us. Why not set aside some time for that very thing, and stay until the work of God in your life is done?  

Lessons from the battlefield, part 19: fighting on our knees

2 Chronicles 32

 

Senacherib arrived outside Jerusalem with a challenge for the people.  “Look at my big bad self and tremble!” he told them.  He actually expected to take the town with bold words, terrifying threats, and empty claims.  In other cities, this technique had, amazingly, worked.  In Jerusalem, however, it failed miserably.  

Senacherib failed not because Hezekiah and his army were bigger or tougher but because Hezekiah used his most powerful weapon right from the start – PRAYER.  The king and the prophet Isaiah “prayed and cried out to heaven,” abandoning themselves to the mercy of the God who never fails.  Before the attack could begin, God sent a warring angel to annihilate the army of Senacherib.

Hezekiah had prepared as much as he could, but he fought his battle on his knees.  We too, will need much preparation, but just like King Hezekiah, the battle for the hearts and lives of those we love, as well as the great trials of our lives, will be fought on our knees.  

Somebody's Praying

Today was a super busy day with more unusual challenges than I really wanted to meet. It was surprisingly smooth until mid-afternoon, when I began to think my day had the potential to completely unravel. I really wanted to act like Jesus in every situation, so I emailed someone I knew would pray and asked them to help.

After work, I had to pick up Maggie the Wonder Dog from play day, run by the grocery, stop by the Sao Thai restaurant, then head home to meet someone at 6:30. Wonder Dog pick up was smooth, but the grocery store was just a fiasco. If I try to tell you about it, I might cry. It was that frustrating. Hint to stock boys: do not put the baking powder on a shelf so high that the average mommy has to have a ladder to reach it. I could not find what I wanted and what I could find was on such a high shelf that I couldn't reach it. 

As I headed to the restaurant, I was blinking back tears and I prayed out loud. "Lord, I need someone to pray for me."  Just as I said it, I remembered, "Oh yeah someone is praying", and I was reassured. Even more comforting was the fact that Jesus was praying for me as well. (Hebrews. 7:25).  My heart was strangely warmed and I settled in to the comforting knowledge of two intercessors praying for my needs and that I would be faithful to the call of Christ. 

Tears dried in an instant, and I proceeded with the day. It was hard, but made much better because of those faithful prayers. Tonight, as you consider the difficult circumstances of your life, remember that you do not face them alone. There is One who is praying for you, and His prayers never fail. 

Through-the-roof Prayers: The Long Way Around

But not finding any way to bring him in because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and let him down through the tiles with his stretcher, into the middle of the crowd, in front of Jesus. (Luke 5:19 NASB)

The four determined men had brought the paralyzed man to the building where Jesus was teaching, and they were not going to be thwarted by a crowd. When they could not get through the people in the doorway, they immediately began looking for another way. Their goal was to get the man directly in front of Jesus, where the two could be eye-to-eye. 

I've seen many Bible story pictures that suggest these men committed a serious act of vandalism in trying to get to Jesus. It has sometimes been presented as if these men destroyed a portion of the roof through which to let the stretcher down. Blue Letter Bible suggests a different scenario, which I favor. Middle-eastern houses had flat roofs, with a door to them so that the roof could be used for walking around or even sleeping at night. The roof was accessible by ladder or stairs. Perhaps, rather than vandalism, they saw the stairs, recognized an alternate way, and carried the man long-way-around to lower him before the Healer. 

These men were not dismayed by a crowded doorway, nor by an uncertain patient.  They were taking him to Jesus and would not be deterred. When they determined to carry him to Jesus, they did not have a promise of healing, nor a guarantee of change. Their job was to get him to Jesus. They left the decision about intervention to Jesus. Did they believe Jesus could heal? Yes. Did they believe Jesus would heal? Certainly. I don't know if you recognized this it not, but no request of Jesus is recorded. The presenting him before Christ was the request. 

I've prayed this way before, simply calling out the name of the one for whom I'm praying, knowing they need Jesus desperately and simply bringing them before the throne of God.  These prayers of desperation leave the choice of intervention to God, and may be the purest form of prayer. It's a "through the roof" prayer that puts our loved ones right before Jesus so that He can do what He wills.

Today, take the long way around and offer "through the roof prayers" for our loved ones. Call their names before Jesus with all the love and concern in your heart and wait expectantly for Him to move. 

Thy Will Be Done (Luke 4:43)

But He said to them, "I must preach the kingdom of God to the other cities also, for I was sent for this purpose." (Luke 4:43 NASB)

Remember the crowds? 

They wanted to keep The Miracle Worker all to themselves, but Jesus said "No". He explained that He had other work to do. This has been clearly stated in the synagogue in Nazareth. He was not sent to heal exclusively, He was sent to preach the Kingdom of God to as many people as possible. Their plan would prevent His plan from being carried out. When the choice was between God's plan and man's desires, only one would be accomplished, and it was God's. 

Dear ones, that is a good rule to remember in intercession. When our prayers are consistent with God's plan (clearly outlined in Scripture), we can be assured of His response to our requests. It's why the prayer that never fails is "Thy will be done."  When we want what God wants, He has given, and will give, us the desires of our heart. It is also why, in intercession, the first heart that needs to change is often our own. 

Today, pray that our heart's greatest desire would be the will of God in the lives of our loved ones, as well as in our own. Invite Him to direct their paths (and ours) in whatever direction He desires. What fun it will be the see His plan unfold! 

Healing the fever part 3

And He arose and left the synagogue, and entered Simon's home. Now Simon's mother-in-law was suffering from a high fever; and they made request of Him on her behalf. (Luke 4:38 NASB)

Isn't that a nice phrase? "They made request of Him on her behalf"? More "modern" translations say, "they asked Him to help her."  She was burning up with fever, possibly in deadly peril from her illness, and her guests had just arrived. She was not at the synagogue that day, and had not seen Jesus cast out the demon. She may not have heard Jesus speak nor seen Him do miracles, but it is likely she knew He was coming. We don't know whether she believed He was the Messiah nor whether she thought He could heal her.  She may not have believed in Him at all. What we know is that, in the throes of an acute but severe illness, she did not ask Him to help her. It was "they" who intercedes for her that eventful day and it was in response to their request that Jesus brought healing. 

That is a great comfort and encouragement to me as we pray. It is not necessary for the ones for whom we pray to ask Jesus to help nor for them to believe in Him in order to receive His help. He will move in response to our request. 

Today, pray boldly that our Lord will take note of our loved ones and their current situation and "make request of Him on their behalf".  Be assured that, when we ask Him to help, He will.