Tag Archives: government

Pray that Government will Value the Lives of the Voiceless

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Republican Elephant & Democratic Donkey - Icons

It’s unfortunate that government leaders put political gain and power ahead of the people’s true needs, and it’s the voiceless and poor that suffer.

Leadership gains authority and respect
when the voiceless poor are treated fairly. ~Proverbs 29:14

Pray that our leaders with put the needs and wants of the people first and their political ambitions aside.

Pray for those being affected by the shutdown, those on furlough and those whose have indirectly lost work because of the shutdown.

 

Soli Deo Gloria!
Giselle Aguiar

 

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Pray for our Leaders to be like Solomon

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King Solomon is known as one of the wisest people of the Bible. And it’s interesting how he got all the wisdom. In a dream, God spoke to Solomon (1 Kings 3: 5-14 NIV):

“…God said, “Ask for whatever you want me to give you.”

Now, put yourself in Solomon’s shoes. If you had one wish, what would you wish for? Power? A long life? Wealth? Solomon’s response is not what you would have expected…

“Now, Lord my God, you have made your servant king in place of my father David. But I am only a little child and do not know how to carry out my duties. Your servant is here among the people you have chosen, a great people, too numerous to count or number. So give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong. For who is able to govern this great people of yours?”

“A discerning heart?” What is discernment? It’s the ability to judge well. To know the difference between what’s right and what’s wrong. “To govern your people.” He put the people first. Wow. Totally unselfish.

English: Solomon's Wealth and Wisdom, as in 1 ...

Solomon’s Wealth and Wisdom, as in 1 Kings 3:12-13, illustration from a Bible card published 1896 by the Providence Lithograph Company (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The Lord was pleased that Solomon had asked for this. So God said to him, “Since you have asked for this and not for long life or wealth for yourself, nor have asked for the death of your enemies but for discernment in administering justice, I will do what you have asked. I will give you a wise and discerning heart, so that there will never have been anyone like you, nor will there ever be. Moreover, I will give you what you have not asked for—both wealth and honor—so that in your lifetime you will have no equal among kings. And if you walk in obedience to me and keep my decrees and commands as David your father did, I will give you a long life.”

So God gave him wisdom AND what he didn’t ask for – wealth, honor and a long life! But he also said that “…there will never have been anyone like you, nor will there ever be… And if you walk in obedience to me and keep my decrees and commands…” 

So, can we expect our leaders to be like Solomon? No, but we can pray that they strive to be. We can pray that they govern with “a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong.”

And Solomon was kind enough to share all the wisdom that God gave him in the Book of Proverbs. It’s a gift from God through Solomon. Making foolish decisions is easy for people when they don’t consult God or the Bible. That’s another thing we can pray for.

Soli Deo Gloria!
Giselle Aguiar

 

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Pray for the Peace of Washington D.C.

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Cover of "The Secret Power of Speaking Go...

I picked up a great little book that I take with me to church and sit in the prayer room during the second service. It’s from Joyce Meyer Ministries: The Secret Power of Speaking God’s Word. I bought it when Joyce was here in Phoenix a few years ago. What makes this book different is that it puts scripture into the first person and it’s divided into topical sections.

In the “Civic Responsibility” section I like to take the 3rd one down and give it my own spin:

“I pray for the peace of Washington D.C.! … May peace be within your walls and prosperity within your palaces!” (based on Psalm 122:6-7)

If Christians in the U.S. pray this several times a day, maybe we’ll see a change.

Here’s another…

I am one of God’s chosen people. I am called by His name. If I humble myself, pray, seek, crave, and require of necessity the face of God and turn from my wicked ways, then will God hear from heaven, forgive my sin, and heal my land. (based on 2 Chronicles 7:14)

“Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.” ~Matthew 11:28 (MSG)

Prayer is a powerful tool.

We may feel that we can’t do anything to change anything in Washington D.C. We may feel that our representatives and senators aren’t listening to us or putting the needs of the people first instead of politics. We may feel helpless, but we’re not. We’ve got the power of prayer.

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. ~Philippians 4:6-7

We don’t know what God’s plans are. We can seek his Will for our lives and pray for the lives of others. And when we do, we will feel “the peace of God, which transcends all understanding” and that is an awesome feeling. What happens in the world, doesn’t matter. It’s in God’s hands.

Soli Deo Gloria!
Giselle Aguiar

 

 

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Pray for Leaders to Govern with Justice

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Good leaders abhor wrongdoing of all kinds; sound leadership has a moral foundation. ~Proverbs 16:12

What is a “moral foundation”?

KJV Bible

KJV Bible (Photo credit: knowhimonline)

That’s simple — a life that’s based on the Bible — the Word of God. Someone with a moral foundation easily recognizes when something is against the teachings of God because he or she reads the Bible daily and seeks God’s Will and guidance in every major decision they make in their lives especially when they affect other people.

Pray for America. Pray for Leaders to Govern with Justice

Soli Deo Gloria!
Giselle Aguiar

 

Pray for Mature Godly Leaders

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Mature godly leaders – sounds like a joke, right? What’s happening in Washington D.C. right now sounds like a bunch of kids who can’t agree to play the same game and follow the rules. The captain of one team wants to make up new rules and the captain of the other wants to play it his way. The problem is — no one wins! There’s a stalemate — or in this case, a shutdown.

Oops! I’m criticizing. Shouldn’t do that.

What we need to do is PRAY! We have to give it to God. God is bigger than the problem.

English: Statue of George Washington by Lee La...

Statue of George Washington by Lee Lawrie. At Washington National Cathedral, Washington (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

But a nation will prosper when its ruler is mature, and its leaders don’t party too much. ~Ecclesiastes 10:17

That goes for any organization. We’re stuck with an inexperienced leader. We need to pray. Just pray.

 

Soli Deo Gloria!
Giselle Aguiar

 

 

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Pray for America

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I don’t know about you, but I’m sick and tired of politics and our national government. I don’t want to see the rantings and ravings on Facebook or Twitter any more.

So what are we to do?

As Christians, we have really only one choice – to PRAY!

Pray for America

It only takes a minute to say a prayer.

Hal H. Sacks of BridgeBuilders Int’l Leadership Network wrote in “Scriptural Prayers for Good Government“:

It is better to pray for for government leaders — local, state, and national — than to criticizes them. This does not mean we always agree with their every action or condone legislative decisions that go contrary to biblical principles. It does mean that we respect positions of authority (Hebrews 13:17) even if the one filling that position compromises God’s principles. As we humbly and fervently call upon the Lord, He promises to raise up godly leaders to rule our land (Daniel 2:22).

It’s what God wants us to do. For the next 30 days, please join me and other Christians in prayer for America.

I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people—for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, 4 who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. ~2 Timothy 2:1-4 (NIV)

Whether your Progressive or Patriot, Liberal or Libertarian, Republican or Democrat, Independent or Non-Committed, Right Wing or Left Wing, you can do something a simple as praying.

We’ll be posting something daily for the next 30 days. Follow us on Twitter, Like us on Facebook, Subscribe to this blog or our newsletter (forms on the right column).

…if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land. ~2 Chronicles 7:14 (NIV)

Soli Deo Gloria!
Giselle Aguiar

 

Heaven Can Wait, Government Can Save Us

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God’s Story—Our Story: The Reign of Christ—Now and Forever

Sermon by Chuck Foreman, Teaching/Missions Pastor
First Christian Church—November 11, 2012

Scriptures: Revelation 1-5; 19-22; Romans 8; 1 Thessalonians 4-5;
I Peter 2:9-17; 1 Timothy 2:1-4

Heaven can wait, Government can save us…

SALVATION & POLITICS

We’ve bought into an idea about “salvation” that is more like fire insurance than Biblical teaching. “Just give me that ticket out of hell and into heaven, and we’re good.” That kind of thinking doesn’t cause us to do anything about the combustible material in our lives that will probably burn our house down.

We think we’re heaven bound, but that we’re still trapped in an ugly, fallen world, in which we have to scrape and claw to get what WE want. We think all we really need is a government that will make it all happen for us.
Unfortunately when we think like that, there’s nothing about us or our ideas that ever changes anything or makes a difference in this world.

Our idea of heaven is more like an Escape Route or a Safe House, not a place where Christ reigns and gives us hope for restoring God’s will & reign on earth. And we think that government ought to make things better, and we hope that it will, so we whine & moan when it doesn’t, instead of rolling up our own sleeves.

The symbol for King in Chineese

The symbol for King in Chineese

What if we’ve missed something? What if what God really wants to do is to accomplish something revolutionary in us, thru us, among us—here, now— as we establish His Kingdom here, while we wait for the return of our King?

Illustration: Chinese character—“King” 3 horizontal lines representing heaven, man and earth, connected by a vertical line representing the one vested w/ power between heaven and earth to rule uprightly over man.

God’s Story is Our Story: Let’s review what he’s been up to and where he’s taking us…

Creation (Genesis 1-2)

The Fall of Man (Genesis 3)

A New Nation—Israel—The People of God (Genesis 12:2-3)

Israel’s Failure—Matthew 23:37-38

The Messiah—Immanuel (“God with us”—Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:23)

The New Israel—The Church—The New People of God (Matthew 16:18; Acts 2:42-48)

The transformation of the politics of Paul, James and Peter…
Galatians 3:28-29 (Revolutionary for Paul!)
Acts 15:16-18 (James quotes Amos 9:11-12)
Ephesians 2:10; 3:6-11, 14, 21 (God’s mystery made known thru the Church as we do the good works we were re-created to do!)
I Timothy 2:1-4 (Pray for kings so we can live peaceful, quiet, godly, holy lives—this is ultimately what will influence people to be saved.)
I Peter 2:9-17 (The New Order)

John’s Revelation…
Revelation 1-5: Message to the 7 Churches of Asia Minor—God is going to restore all things to the way they were. You’re in on it—it matters how you live! So get your act together!

Revelation 6-18: The Cosmic Battle between God and Satan over the Church

Revelation 19: Victory! The Defeat of the Beast/Babylon/The Prostitute (Rome), The Wedding of the Lamb

Revelation 20: Satan’s Doom & the Judgment of Mankind

Revelation 21-22: The Final Act—The Reign of Christ Fully, Finally Realized

Revelation 21:1-5 God with us—Out with the old, in with the new!
(This is where we place our hope, not in the White House, not in the Stock Market!)
Revelation 21:9-10 The New Jerusalem, The Church coming down from heaven

I Thessalonians 4:13-18 Let’s go meet our King!

Revelation 22:1-3a Eden Restored

Romans 8:18-25 The Redemption of Creation

Revelation 22:3b-5 We will reign with him forever!

Jesus is Coming—perhaps soon.

Listen to his final words: Revelation 22:7 Revelation 22:12

Jesus is coming someday. On that day, every knee will bow and tongue confess that he is Lord. Are you ready? You’ll either do it willingly or not, but you will bow. Are you ready?

The question is not, Is Jesus King?. He’s King alright. The question is, Is he king of your life?

You can make him King of your life today. There’s a lot of joyful work to do in His Kingdom, as we eagerly, patiently prepare for his will to ultimately be done and his kingdom to finally come “on earth—as it is in heaven.”

Right On!

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