Obedience

I wonder sometimes how (and why) God uses me when I have such a sinful nature to overcome.  God never looks at me and condemns me looking through the grid my faults, He chooses instead to look through my need and that is where He meets me.

I remember when I turned 18, I couldn’t wait to cast my first vote in the Presidential primary.  And yes I voted conservative because that is how I was raised.  My first vote was set along party lines (because I didn’t know any better at the time).  So I continued happily along that path for 30 years until one day the Lord confronted me and told me that He didn’t want me to vote any longer.  At first blush I thought this voice must be the devil because this was in direct contrast to the many Christian conservative talking heads I was listening to attempting to convince me that it was my duty to vote, and to vote conservative.  So here was an opposing voice which was speaking to my mind that didn’t want me to vote, what was I going to do with this?  I did not want to give up my right to vote.  This also struck at a very core issue in my heart regarding my patriotism.  I believed in this country and the rights that were fought for, and people bled and died for.  People like my uncle who gave his life in service to this country.  How could I find balance on this issue?  The first thing I did was to go to scripture, the second was to pray and give up listening to the opinions of others.  I specifically prayed for understanding that I would hear the Lord correctly on this matter and do the right thing.

2 Chronicles 7:14 (KJV)

¹⁴ If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

What was this saying?  And to be more specific, what was this saying to me?  God began to speak with me through His word and through my relationship with Him.  “Will you surrender your patriotism and your pride and humble yourself and pray, and intercede for the leaders who are over you? ”  That was what I was hearing.  This was very challenging to me.  Voting was something I really wanted to do, after all it was my right to vote, and now God was prompting me to give that up.   I needed to look at this from another perspective, I seriously looked at what this scripture was not saying.  It was not saying ‘If you vote conservative (or vote for a Christian man or woman) then I will hear from heaven and heal the land’ That was in fact the very line I was getting from the conservatives who were speaking in my church and other Christian circles I was involved in.  ‘That we needed to elect a Christian into office to counter the evil liberal influence in our country and bring God’s way into politics’, but that is not what scripture says, and not what God was telling me.   

 

Matthew 6:33-34 (NASB)

³³ But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

³⁴ “So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself.  Each day has enough trouble of its own.

God was leading me to a higher call, and that was to intercede for my leaders and extend God’s kingdom into their lives and into their leadership over my country, state and city.  Generally speaking, don’t we pray for our pastors?  Of course we do.  They are our spiritual leadership.  (My pastor actually asks for our congregation to pray for him).  We humbly submit to their teaching and their authority even when it comes to correction and discipline.  How much more should be pray and intercede for our governmental leaders who God has allowed to be over us so that we may extend God’s kingdom to them also!

So, my response was to resign from the voting rolls and to pray.  That is my obedient act unto the Lord.  How essential it is for each person to hear what the Lord is speaking to them both individually and corporately, and not just responding blindly to what someone else is hearing, or doing.  This is after all a personal walk with Christ, and each person must be responsible for their own decisions and their walk before the Lord.

So what is the purpose of praying for our leadership?  For the salvation of our leaders?  That may be part of the answer, but not the entire answer.

 

1 Timothy 2:1-2 (NIV)

¹ I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people— ² for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.

I am brought back to the story of Daniel.  Daniel and his people were taken captive by the Babylonians.  Daniel being one of the young princes of Israel was chosen to be a representative for his people.  Daniel prayed to God three times a day, I am sure that he also prayed for the leadership over him, look at God’s deliverance in Daniel’s life.  Here is a short synopsis of the Book of Daniel.

Daniel and his three friends are divinely delivered in chapter 1 from a confrontation with the Babylonian government and Nebuchadnezzar its king. While these four godly Hebrews were willing to be called by Babylonian names, attend Babylonian schools, and even work for a Babylonian government, they were not willing to eat the food served at the king’s table.

God granted these men favor in the eyes of their foreign superiors, and they were allowed to eat vegetables, rather than the food set aside for them by their king. Because of their faithfulness, God gave these men an extra measure of wisdom, greatly impressing king Nebuchadnezzar, who gave them positions of influence and responsibility in his kingdom.

In chapter 2, once again God delivered Daniel and his three friends. King Nebuchadnezzar had a dream he could not understand; neither could his counselors and wise men reveal or interpret the dream. In anger, the king commanded the execution of all the wise men of the land, including Daniel and his friends. In the providence of God, Daniel learned of the king’s dilemma and was able to reveal to the king his dream and its meaning, sparing his own life and the lives of the other Babylonian wise men.

In chapter 3, Nebuchadnezzar created a great golden image, before which the people of all nations were to bow in worship. Daniel’s three friends refused to bow down. Again in anger, Nebuchadnezzar threatened them with death if they did not obey his decree. Refusing to obey, they were thrown into a fiery furnace. God was present with them there and preserved them from death, injury, and even the smell of fire. The king was so impressed he issued a decree guaranteeing the Jews freedom to worship their God without hindrance.

Chapter 4 speaks of Nebuchadnezzar’s deliverance. He is delivered from his pride and oppression when, for a period, his sanity and kingdom are removed from him, and he must live like a beast of the field. From his own testimony, it appears he came to genuine repentance and saving faith as a result of God’s working in his life.

Chapter 5 witnesses Belshazzar’s condemnation in contrast to Nebuchadnezzar’s conversion in chapter 4. Because of his rejection of the truth, and his blasphemy against the God of Israel, only one day in the life of Belshazzar is recorded in Scripture, only to announce his condemnation and death.

Now, in chapter 6, Daniel’s life is in danger, and he will experience God’s deliverance. Daniel 1 reveals what set Daniel apart from the rest of his Jewish peers and brought him to a position of prominence and power in king Nebuchadnezzar’s administration. But chapter 6 identifies what sustained Daniel over the many years of his ministry and enabled him to survive the crises of his life.

And now Daniel’s story continues with us and becomes our story, our story tells of the mighty deliverance of God and how He will restore and deliver His people.  It is not so much about who has governmental authority over us, but rather how we conduct our lives in obedience to God wherever that takes us.  God can and does promote us and gives us favor in the eyes of our leaders (or employers, etc.) if we seek His heart in praying, interceding and offering thanks for ALL people, so He may show Himself strong on our behalf.

Lord, thank you for the recent outcome of the elections and for the people who are in the position of authority and power.  I ask that you would intervene and bring your Kingdom to bear upon our President our Senators and local officials.  May your righteousness rise as a standard over our nation that we may be brought under the power and awe of your presence once again.  Speak to our elected officials, sway their hearts and give them your burden for the people they represent. 

Have mercy on your people God, for we have sinned as a nation and fallen away from your precepts.  Restore us God.  Revive and restore your people.  Bring your kingdom.

Stephen Barnett

            

Send Your Rain

(Kelly Carpenter)

Send Your rain, Oh Lord
Send Your rain, Oh Lord
Send Your rain to Your people

Send Your rain, Oh Lord
Send Your rain, Oh Lord
Send Your rain
Bring Your kingdom

Soften our hearts
Pour out Your Spirit
Fill us anew
Let Your rain come

May Your kingdom come
And Your will be done
On the earth
Bring Your kingdom

alternate chorus

Soften our hearts

Pour out Your Spirit
Fill us anew
Let Your rain come 

Kiss Your bride, Oh Lord
Kiss Your bride, Oh Lord
Kiss Your bride, Your beloved

Send Your rain, oh Lord
Send Your rain, oh Lord
Send Your rain
Bring Your Kingdom

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                 The music above is copyrighted by the respective artists, and is demonstrated here for educational purposes only.

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