Last Sunday I preached a sermon here at Grace Church from 1 Timothy 2:1-7 in which we saw that our greatest responsibility toward our new President as followers of Jesus is to pray for him and to do so “with thanksgiving.” Now again, let me be honest, I did not vote for President Obama and I disagree with him on many issues. But I hope in my own spiritual life not to make the same mistakes regarding him as I did years back when the last President I didn’t vote for was in office, former President Bill Clinton. There are just some principles in Scripture that have become very real to me lately.
According to Scripture every leader is established by God (Romans 13:1). Does this include President Obama? Of course it does. Furthermore, the Bible teaches that it is acceptable to God that we pray with thanksgiving for all kings and human authorities (1 Timothy 2:1-2). Does that include President Obama? Most certainly it does.
I have heard some say, “I could never give thanks for Barak Obama!” My response to that remark is simple. If you really feel that way, then your problem isn’t really political at all, it is spiritual. God is the one who established our president’s leadership. God is the one who commands us to pray for our human authorities with thanksgiving. So if as a follower of Christ you cannot pray for President Obama with thanksgiving, it is my opinion that your struggle isn’t really with Barak Obama, it is with the Lord.
I have read many blogs and articles of Christians who have attacked Pastor Rick Warren for praying for Barak Obama at his inauguration. Personally, I feel Pastor Warren was right on the money. I remember earlier this year when I prayed at the John McCain campaign rally in Lancaster. There were critics who attacked me because I did not pray at the Obama rally when he was in town. There is a very good reason why I didn’t pray for Barack Obama when he campaigned in Lancaster. I wasn't invited to do so!!
But I am not going to make the same mistake with President Obama that I made with former President Clinton. I am going to pray for him as close to every day as possible and I am going to do so “with thanksgiving.” Some have said, “Sure, I’ll pray for him. I’ll pray every single day that he fails!” Where is that in Scripture?
I am praying for his success as a husband and as a father!
I am praying for his safety!
I am praying that he surrounds himself with men and women of integrity!
I am praying that God would grant him great wisdom!
But most of all, based on 1 Timothy 2:1-7, I am praying that over his tenure in the white house he would grow to know God more intimately and to love Jesus more passionately.
According to Scripture every leader is established by God (Romans 13:1). Does this include President Obama? Of course it does. Furthermore, the Bible teaches that it is acceptable to God that we pray with thanksgiving for all kings and human authorities (1 Timothy 2:1-2). Does that include President Obama? Most certainly it does.
I have heard some say, “I could never give thanks for Barak Obama!” My response to that remark is simple. If you really feel that way, then your problem isn’t really political at all, it is spiritual. God is the one who established our president’s leadership. God is the one who commands us to pray for our human authorities with thanksgiving. So if as a follower of Christ you cannot pray for President Obama with thanksgiving, it is my opinion that your struggle isn’t really with Barak Obama, it is with the Lord.
I have read many blogs and articles of Christians who have attacked Pastor Rick Warren for praying for Barak Obama at his inauguration. Personally, I feel Pastor Warren was right on the money. I remember earlier this year when I prayed at the John McCain campaign rally in Lancaster. There were critics who attacked me because I did not pray at the Obama rally when he was in town. There is a very good reason why I didn’t pray for Barack Obama when he campaigned in Lancaster. I wasn't invited to do so!!
But I am not going to make the same mistake with President Obama that I made with former President Clinton. I am going to pray for him as close to every day as possible and I am going to do so “with thanksgiving.” Some have said, “Sure, I’ll pray for him. I’ll pray every single day that he fails!” Where is that in Scripture?
I am praying for his success as a husband and as a father!
I am praying for his safety!
I am praying that he surrounds himself with men and women of integrity!
I am praying that God would grant him great wisdom!
But most of all, based on 1 Timothy 2:1-7, I am praying that over his tenure in the white house he would grow to know God more intimately and to love Jesus more passionately.
6 comments:
WOW!! Vindictive prayer! That's a new concept in prayer.
I love politics! however we should first consider ourselves followers of Christ befeore any political party. (YES even Rs)! I truly hope nobody is praying for failure for ANY other person,not to mention the leader of our nation, surely GOD can't honor those prayers!!
OK I think I just got off my soap box!
Hey Hurst, you sound pretty good on that soap box!!!
Hi Scott, you obviously don't need to post this, but I thought you might like to know about what I believe is a typo in this blog post. In regards to praying at the Obama campaign in Lancaster, you typed "I was invited to do so". I believe you may have wanted that to say..."I wasn't....." ???
Just a heads up, I know you don't need any more critics than you already have just over a typo. :-)
Nuts, Anonymous! I even proof-read that several times and never caught that! I'll make the change! Thanks!
Oh, what would happen if we prayed for our current administration everyday. Thanking the Lord daily, that in His infinite wisdom He choose the right man for what He (the Lord) wants to accomplish by allowing such a non-god fearing administration to be put into place. I would challenge each follower of Jesus to daily pray for President Obama, his wife Michelle, his 2 daughters, for every member of his cabinet, for every member of Congress, for every Judge,from the lowest level to the Supreme Court, to have a hunger in their soul to know the living God as their personal savior if they do not. And those that do know Christ as Savior to have a passion to live by His principles. Pray that each person in a high place be flooded with believers who show the love of Christ and minister and influence them to make God fearing choices and decisions in regards to this nation. The Word of God says if my people will humble themselves and pray...He will heal our land. That includes us, believers, who tend to pick and choose what we will and won't do according to his commands in His Word.
Amen, anonymous, Amen!
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