PRAYER

"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." --1 Timothy 2:1-2

 

As God's children, we are commanded to pray for our governmental leaders, "all men, for kings and all who are in authority". And before we throw a quick prayer up, notice that the verse tells us exactly how to pray. Four specific words are used:

 

Entreaties: to ask God to meet a specific need. We are to ask God to meet the needs that exist in our country as well as needs that exist in our leaders--from the president all the way down to the dog catcher.

 

Prayers: to address God. The word is often used in the Bible to refer to public prayer--prayers that we pray outloud in a group. We do not merely pray for our president from our prayer closet, but we also look for opportunity to publicly pray for our leaders.

 

Petitions: to meet with God. This is where you get to voice your concerns, your disappointments, your hopes and your fears. This is you and God sitting down at the conference table to take care of business.

 

Thanksgivings: to be grateful to God. Our prayers are to be marked by a spirit of thanksgiving--grateful that God is for us and not against us--that He is causing all things to work together for our benefit--that though we may see darkness, joy comes in the morning.

 

This verse promises a preferred future as a result of our praying, "a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity". Are you feeling stressed today? worried? despairing? Your peace awaits you as you begin to pray for our president!

AUTHORITY

"Every person is to be in subjection to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God. Therefore whoever resists authority has opposed the ordinance of God; and they who have opposed will receive condemnation upon themselves." --Romans 13:1-2

 

A couple of things to keep in mind from these verses as we approach the presidential election tomorrow: #1 All authority begins with God; #2 Goverment gets it's authority from God; #3 We are to be in subjection (proper order) to governing authorities; #4 To resist authority is to resist God.

 

Regardless of the election's outcome, we are to get in line behind the one elected. The only exception would be if government compels us to forsake the Lordship of Jesus Christ. Either way, today and tomorrow should be about praying and voting (in that order).

PRIDE

"Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before stumbling" (Proverbs 16:18).
 

God loves us enough to crush our arrogant spirits. Our pride will lead us into trouble, into disaster, and even into death. Therefore, "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble" (Proverbs 3;34). What you do today, and more importantly, how you do it, will either be blessed by God or will be opposed by Him. It matters!
 

Our pride is displayed in at least three ways:
 

Independence vs Dependence - Independence is a great virtue of our country (especially in the West). God however, wants us to learn to depend upon Him for our every need. Trusting in ourselves is just as much idolatry as trusting in an idol. How can you demonstrate dependence upon God today, resisting independent attitudes and actions?
 

Speaking vs Listening - Speaking is an indication of pride. The humble spend more time listening and learning and less time trying to be heard. Listening is perhaps one of the most difficult virtues to practice. Today, see if you can be quiet a little more than normal. Listen!
 

Works vs Grace - We generally affirm our value by the work of our hands. What do we do? Grace is resting in the work that God has already accomplished instead of feeling the need to do something in order to justify our existence. There is nothing wrong with working--just do it graciously!
 

Would you be so brave as to ask God to give you a heart of humility today?